Minister vows to make loneliness a ‘national priority’
LONELINESS has a major impact on people’s physical and mental health and must be tackled as a “national priority”, according to the Welsh Government’s new Minister for Children and Social Care.
A strategy to deal with loneliness and isolation – “one of the most significant issues facing people in Wales” – will be published for consultation this year.
Huw Irranca-Davies is particularly concerned about the situation facing people over 80.
He said: “Loneliness and isolation is a public health issue which can affect many different groups of people at a variety of stages of life – but in particular, it’s a major issue for many older people in Wales. It can have and does have a significant impact on people’s physical and mental health.
“As a government, we are committed to securing the best possible health, well-being and quality of life for people in Wales. So preventing people from becoming lonely and isolated must be a national priority for us, because it will not only improve people’s lives, but it will also help reduce demand for health and social services.”
The National Survey for Wales for 2016-17 found nearly one in five people (17%) are lonely – with younger people and those who go online more at risk.
More than half of Welsh people (54%) said they experienced feelings of loneliness.
The research showed that while 20% of people in the 16 to 24 and 25 to 44 age groups were lonely, this was true of 10% of those aged 75–plus.
People who use the internet were more likely to be lonely (18%) than those who didn’t (13%).
Only 10% of people with very good general health were lonely. This contrasted with 49% of those with very bad general health.
Age Cymru argues that maintaining community services is “vital” to stopping loneliness and isolation.
The charity warned that “failure to protect basic local services such as bus routes, day centres, post offices, and lunch clubs can lead to greater levels of isolation and loneliness amongst older people”. This can lead to “physical and mental ill health requiring more intensive and complex support later in life”.
Age Cymru’s research found an estimated 75,000 older people in Wales are “often or always” feeling lonely. Free or subsidised transport to events and access to lunch and social clubs were cited as key factors in combatting loneliness by 70% of the respondents.
Samaritans Cymru has called “specific investment in community groups to tackle loneliness and isolation” in a bid to reduce suicide. It is pressing for action to break the “devastating link between poverty and suicide”, stating that suicide is the “most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 and the leading cause of death of people under 35”.
Plaid Cymru AM Dai Lloyd said loneliness was a “real problem”.
He said: “A growing reliance on technology for communication has led to fewer face to face interactions. Many people – particularly the elderly – can go for days if not weeks without seeing another person.
“The closure of libraries, leisure centres and other community facilities has no doubt contributed to this factor. I welcome the fact that the Labour Welsh Government claims to be making the issue of loneliness a priority but it should simultaneously be doing more to protect these vital community services that I mention, rather than give with one hand and take with the other.”