Loneliness blights old and young, says survey
CLOSE to half of all young people in a survey described themselves as being lonely the majority of their daily lives.
The report from the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (Nisra) reveals that 46.3% of those aged 16-24 said they were “more often lonely”.
Over 43% of older people aged 75-plus reported feeling the same way, according to the survey covering the year to March 2020, just at the start of the pandemic.
Of all respondents, 5.4% reported feeling lonely “often/always”, while 36.7% said they were “more often lonely”.
The high percentage of young people reporting loneliness may be due to an increased ability to open up about issues, including their mental health, said Marie Campbell of the Rainbow Factory School of Performing Arts, part of Youthaction NI.
But there is also the influence — good and bad — of social media, she added.
“When asked, young people will say there are lots of good things, fun, but also the falseness of it, where everybody seems to be having a good time,” she said.
Meanwhile, 60% of widowed respondents felt “more often
lonely”, while well over half (58.6%) of those without access to a car felt the same way. These cohorts including a substantial number of older people.
Eithne Gilligan from AGENI said it was important for people to stay connected to older citizens.
“But the infrastructure needs to be there as well. It is a transport issue, as many have stopped driving; it is about access to shared spaces, it is a housing issue, a health issue,” she said.
“There really is a level of chronic loneliness... and AGENI is part of an action group on loneliness that is calling on the Assembly to develop a strategy, as (we) are the only part of the UK that does not have one.”
First Minister Arlene Foster said yesterday: “Just because we can’t extend traditional hospitality does not mean we cannot reach out to others who may be feeling the effects of loneliness.
“We know that people who are not in paid employment, who are older or who are not enjoying full health can feel more isolated.
“This year many of you will be thinking of ways to support others. The simple things — a Christmas card, a telephone call or offering to help with groceries — really makes a difference.”