Social Isolation and Loneliness
Loneliness is a common emotion and it is likely that, at some point in our lives and whatever our age, we will experience it. Various studies estimating the levels of loneliness in Great Britain show that 5 – 16% of people aged 65 or over report feeling lonely all or most of the time and up to a further 30% say they feel lonely “sometimes”. Loneliness and social isolation are harmful to our health: research shows that lacking social connections is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Holt-Lunstad, 2015).
Risk factors that increase the likelihood of someone experiencing loneliness include: living in rural environments with poor transport connections; having a lack of family nearby; having a caring responsibility; living on a low income; bereavement; poor mobility; losing hearing and/or sight; having certain long-term conditions (such as dementia); as well as a range of other possible characteristics, situations, or experiences. Sometimes, a person experiences multiple risk factors simultaneously.
(Source – Campaign to End Loneliness)
Very Brief Intervention
Ask
What do you like to do with your time?
What hobbies or interests do you have?
How often would you say you do your hobbies or social activities?
How do you feel about how you spend your time?
How would you describe your network of friends and family?
Which friends or family members could you turn to for support if you needed it?
Would you rather spend your time:
- On your own?
- With family?
- With friends?
Are you happy with your relationships?
- Facilitate a conversation about loneliness, using the skills and qualities of empathy, openness, warmth and respect, and help people to understand their own circumstances and plan their own solutions.
- Allow the person to tell their story, to review their loneliness and what is happening now.
Assist
How would you like things to be?
What would you like to be doing differently, and how would you feel about that?
What would make a difference to you?
Are there people who model what you would like to be doing/how you would like it to be?
What needs to happen for (the change) to take place?
What do you think stops you from making that change?
Act
Self Care
Although most people need some kind of social contact to maintain good mental health, everyone has different social needs. They may be someone who is content with a few close friends, or they may need a large group of different acquaintances to feel satisfied. State that the simplest way to ease feelings of loneliness can be to try to meet more, or different, people.
- Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Clubs (afvbc.net/) - The official Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Clubs network. The purpose is to facilitate Veterans and serving Armed Forces personnel to meet face-to-face in a relaxed, safe, social environment to enjoy breakfast and banter, to combat loneliness and allow veterans to 'return to the tribe'.
- Can they think of anything they are interested in, a class or a group they have heard of, that could help connect them with new people? See Mind's useful contacts page for ideas on how to find groups and address loneliness. The British Red Cross Help with loneliness guidance can also help you connect with your local community and meet new friends.
- Volunteering is a good way of meeting people. Helping others can also really help improve mental health. See Mind's useful contacts for organisations that can help someone find local volunteering opportunities.
- Join an online community. See Mind's useful contacts for some suggestions.
Contact Cards
Help your neighbours - #viralkindness contact card
Mutual Aid UK
Mutual Aid UK is a list of local support groups.
Web: mutual-aid.co.uk
Loneliness - Older People
- The Silver Line is a free 24-hour telephone helpline (0800 470 8090) providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The Silver Line can also put you in contact with community activities in your local area.
- Age UK Friendship services support loneliness in later life. A volunteer visits an older person once a week in their own home. There is also telephone befriending service where a volunteer befriender will regularly phone an older person.
- The NHS has a range of advice on loneliness including volunteering, continuing education and how to engage with social media and computers.
- The Men's Shed Association offers community spaces for men to connect, converse and create. The activities are often similar to those of garden sheds, but for groups of men to enjoy together. They help to reduce loneliness and isolation, but most importantly, they’re fun.
- The She Shed Association provides a place where women can feel at home and pursue interests alongside with other women, with a high degree of autonomy. It is a larger and more communal version of the typical shed in a garden.
Loneliness - Younger People
- It is recognised that loneliness is not something that is exclusive to older adults, indeed many younger adults in particular can experience loneliness and a recent report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlighted Britain as the loneliness capital of Europe.
- Whilst on the outside young people can be very well connected on social media, but if this replaces face-to-face contact then it can add to a feeling of loneliness. Some people also present an idealised version of themselves online and we expect to have social lives like those portrayed in the media.
- Helplines can reduce loneliness, at least in the short term.
- The Samaritans are available around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is FREE to call on 116 123.
- Get Connected is a free confidential helpline for young people, where people can seek help with emotional and mental health issues often linked to loneliness.
- There are also support services on websites such as Mind, that can remind you you're not alone.