Initiative to tackle loneliness in borough
‘Needs to be public health priority’
IN HIS new role as Charnwood’s Champion for Community Cohesion, borough councillor, Coun Ted Parton, is to launch a new initiative to tackle loneliness in the borough.
The Southfields ward councillor said: “Nobody should be lonely, and although I realise that this is a difficult issue to address I’m hoping to bring together as many local organisations as possible to devise a coordinated approach.
“I want to see loneliness addressed as a public health priority in Charnwood and I want to find ways that people who are at risk of loneliness are reached and supported.
“It is critical that this is recognised as an issue both by the borough and the county councils”.
Ted says that loneliness is a subjective and unwelcome feeling whereby a person lacks companionship.
He said: “There are different types of loneliness. Social loneliness is where someone lacks a wider social network or group of friends to relate to; and emotional loneliness is where the companionship of one particular person is missing.
“People can feel loneliness for a short period of time or for long periods – perhaps at weekends or holidays when they are out of contact with their work colleagues.
“Sometimes it can be chronic when they feel lonely for most of the time.
“Loneliness can often have a detrimental impact on health and research has suggested that not having any social connections can be as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
“It increases the risk of mortality and the chance of developing some diseases.
“Therefore tackling loneliness not only benefits the individual but also reduces the strain on local GPs and the health service.
“I’m keen to get as many people as possible involved in this initiative, and I would urge anyone who is interested to get in contact with me.”