‘Time is the enemy for an ever-growing number of older people experiencing loneliness’

Loneliness is said to be as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Here, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales explains why it is such a major public health issue

FOR many of us, as we go about our daily lives, there are never enough hours in the day to do everything we need to do – time is the enemy.

And time is the enemy for an evergrowing number of older people across Wales who are experiencing loneliness and isolation, not because there are too few hours in the day, but because for them there are too many.

The scale of loneliness and isolation has reached epidemic proportions in recent years, with research by the Office of National Statistics finding that the UK is the loneliness capital of Europe.

Three-quarters of those aged 75 or older who live alone say they feel lonely, while half of all older people say that their television is their main form of company.

Every week, more than 10,000 calls are made to The Silver Line, which offers a telephone befriending service.

While the scale of loneliness among older people in Wales is concerning enough in and of itself, its impact upon people’s health is another reason that society can no longer afford to ignore what has recently been dubbed the “silent killer”.

Loneliness has an impact upon people’s health that is as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and increases the chances of an early death by 45%.

To put this into perspective, air pollution and obesity increase your chances of dying early by 5% and 20%.

Furthermore, research also suggests that people who are lonely are 64% more likely to develop clinical dementia.

Given the significant impact that loneliness has on people’s lives, its impact upon people’s health and the subsequent costs to the public purse, you may expect it to be high on the public health agenda, particularly when you consider the focus on, and resources allocated to, addressing issues such as air pollution and obesity, which have far less of an impact on mortality.

Until recently, however, loneliness was largely overlooked as an issue by policy makers, particularly at a strategic level, and awareness about its impact, although quickly growing, is still relatively limited.

There are, of course, many organisations working tirelessly across Wales to tackle loneliness and isolation.

The Royal Voluntary Service, for example, provides a meals on wheels service that not only allows someone to have a decent meal, but also the opportunity to have a conversation with someone.

Similarly, Contact the Elderly are supporting more volunteers than ever to hold afternoon teas for older people, allowing people who are lonely to get out of the house and spend some time in the company of others.

Alongside this, organisations like Age Connects Wales, Age Cymru, the Silver Line and many others deliver essential befriending services that so many older people rely on, while the Men’s Sheds movement, which continues to grow significantly, offers opportunities for men to belong to a unique group, try new activities, feel useful, fulfilled and a have sense of belonging.

Without the work of organisations like these, the impact of loneliness upon the health and wellbeing of older people in Wales would be even greater.

And in addition, the financial benefit of services like these is clear – it is estimated that spending £80 on befriending services, for example, could save up to £300 from other budgets by reducing the need for formal, high-level support.

But more needs to be done to address the impact that loneliness has on the lives of thousands of older people across Wales.

I welcome the fact that the Welsh Government responded to my calls ahead of the last Assembly Election and has made a commitment to develop a strategy to address loneliness and isolation.

I also welcome the Assembly’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s inquiry into loneliness and isolation, which is currently gathering evidence, the increasing number of debates in the Senedd that are focused on, or make reference to, loneliness and its impact, and Age Cymru’s recently launched campaign that reminds us of the sheer extent of loneliness in Wales.

However, to ensure that the issue of loneliness is properly recognised, that it remains high on the policy agenda and that the action needed to tackle it can be taken, it is vital that loneliness is recognised as a major public health issue.

That is why I called for loneliness to be included as part of the new Public Health Wales Bill, a call that was supported by the Health and Social Care Committee in their recently published scrutiny report on the Bill.

I called for a duty to be placed on the new Public Services Boards, created by the Well-being of Future Generations Act, to ensure that they take account of loneliness and isolation in their local well-being plans and aim to reduce the number of older people feeling lonely and isolated in their communities.

This approach would not only place tackling loneliness and isolation onto a statutory footing, which would be a significant step forward in and of itself, but would also allow for locally focused solutions to be developed.

Furthermore, utilising the Public Services Boards in this way would also ensure a more holistic and joined-up approach to addressing loneliness across the organisations that make up PSB membership, which include health boards, local authorities, third sectors organisations and other key public services organisations.

While the Public Health Bill itself will not be the vehicle through which such a duty will be created, the Minister for Social Services and Public Health has stated that the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act will be an important mechanism for addressing issues like loneliness.

By using legislation to tackle loneliness and isolation, Wales has a real opportunity to lead the way in delivering meaningful change and making a difference to many people’s lives.

As a nation, we simply cannot allow the epidemic of loneliness to go on, for so many older people to have no option but to face souldestroying day after soul-destroying day. That’s why, as Commissioner, I will continue to do all I can on behalf of older people to ensure that the right action is taken to bring this modern day plague to an end so they can enjoy the friendship and inclusion that we so often take for granted.

MOTHER Teresa was quoted as saying “loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty”.

Sadly this is so very true of too many lonely and isolated older people in our communities these days.

Loneliness is a bigger problem than simply an emotional experience.

Research shows that loneliness and social isolation are harmful to our health and is worse for us than well-known risk factors such as obesity and physical inactivity.

The Campaign to End Loneliness reports that more than half (51%) of all people aged 75 and above live alone.

It also found that 17% of older people in the UK are in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week – and 11% are in contact less than once a month.

It can be a terrible and frightening experience to find yourself all alone, seeing no-one for days on end with only the television for company.

Older people are particularly vulnerable to social isolation or loneliness owing to loss of friends and family, mobility or income.

Many struggle to get out at all without support, or lose the confidence to meet new people, or even just make the trip to the shops.

This is where Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale and Age Connects Morgannwg charity can offer a lifeline.

For decades we have been providing vital services and support to thousands of older people.

These services help older people get out and about, get involved with local groups or even assist with a trip to the shops.

We can even provide a volunteer to call round and have a cuppa and a chat if that’s what’s needed.

As one of our service users recently said: “Sometimes it’s enough just to know someone cares”.

Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale aims to empower and enable older people to continue to live independently by providing access to services which reduce social isolation.

If you know someone who is lonely or isolated we will work with them to explore how they can be supported to stay socially active in a way that is right for them.

We have a specific scheme that addresses this issue named “Cardiff The Healthy & Active Partnership – Volunteer Support Programme”.

It offers:

Befriending volunteers and Community Link volunteers who support people to get out to activities in their community

Regular phone calls for a chat and to check that everything is OK

Transport for patients to appointments or help with shopping

The project, which covers all of Cardiff, is aimed at supporting older people who are most in need and those who don’t have many family or friends visiting or don’t get out of the house very often. To find out more please call 029 2240 0029.

The charity also offers services within the Vale of Glamorgan to combat loneliness.

The Senior Health Shop is a dropin centre at 38 Holton Road in Barry. There, older members of the public can access legal advice, benefit checks, tax help, and housing advice.

It is a one-stop shop for information, with volunteers and staff on hand to answer queries you might have.

It’s also a place to socialise and make new friends, with the café opening from 9am to 12.30pm on weekdays.

People can access regular activities such as exercise classes, computers training, stitching and knitting sessions. Health checks, quizzes and afternoon teas also take place. To find out more please contact 01446 732385.

Additionally, Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale Good Neighbour Scheme cover the Central and Western Vale areas.

Committed staff and volunteers provide befriending, transport and shopping support.

Again, the project is aimed at supporting older people who are most in need.

For more information please phone 01446 795 549 for the Western Vale and 01446 747 654 for Barry and Central Vale.

Age Connects Morgannwg also works to combat loneliness through the Reaching Out Programme.

Reaching Out is an initiative that provides befriending to isolated people aged over 50 in Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend.

The programme aims to support older people to maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle.

We offer practical support through regular visits and phone calls to people who are socially isolated or emotionally lonely, with an emphasis on those who have been bereaved.

We recognise that living by yourself, feeling socially isolated or lonely, can have an adverse effect on your health and wellbeing, so Reaching Out works in a number of ways to help reduce this.

Alongside individual support we offer information and advice on taking control of your finances and healthy living, while also aiming to build supportive communities for older people with help from local volunteers.

This work is funded completely by donations and was in part inspired by our experience of working with a gentleman called Bill.

Bill had lived alone for 12 years since his wife died.

Bill and Vera had been married for over 40 years and were devoted to one another. They didn’t have any children and, as Bill was an evacuee he didn’t have any family in the area after Vera passed away.

When Vera died, Bill came to Age Connects Morgannwg for help to arrange her funeral. Bill died last year, aged 83. He was found in his garden, and had been dead for three weeks before anyone noticed he was gone.

Bill had left us a small gift in his will, despite us not having had any contact for many years. There are no services funded by the council or NHS to reach out and support isolated people like Bill, so using his legacy we created our own service called ‘Reaching Out.’

Reaching Out aims to reduce loneliness and increase wellbeing by providing support at home and support to get out and about in the local community.

For more information contact Age Connect Morgannwg at information@acmorgannwg.org.uk or call 01443 490650.

Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale and Age Connects Morgannwg are on hand to help people overcome loneliness. Here, the charity explains just a few of the services it provides

It can be a terrible and frightening experience to find yourself all alone, seeing no-one for days on end with only the television for company