Eamon Timmins, Chief Executive Responding to Isolation and Loneliness: Housing and Community Perspectives November 26, 2015

A wake-up call

A hidden problem Official statistics SVP Commission on Older People Where are all the lonely people?

Why is this such an issue? Not unique to older people But some factors add to the problem among older people

Why should we worry? Risk factors in an early death: Obesity (20%) Air pollution (5%) Excessive drinking (30%) Loneliness (45%)

What’s the solution? Charities will fix it, providing visits, accommodation, activities, and classes Govt intervention

What’s Age Action doing? Care and Repair – 29,000 jobs this year Computer classes – 3,000 older people trained this year

... Age Action’s work Advocacy groups Life-long learning groups – 17 across Ireland BUT IS THIS ENOUGH?

YOU are part of the solution Loneliness and social isolation are society issues; Promote inclusion and awareness.

Do older people have a role? Prof John Cacioppo: “part of the biological warning system” Recognise the signal, understand and respond

Thanks! 30/31 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2 Tel Website:

Waterford contact details Care and Repair: Waterford Area Partnership Getting Started computer classes: Life-long learning groups: Waterford city Josephine Murphy , Tramore Mollie Hunt