Time to reach out
How we can combat loneliness
The pandemic has seen many people struggle with loneliness this year.
And as we approach a Christmas with restrictions on meeting up with our loved ones, many more are likely to be left feeling alone.
That is why this newspaper, along with other JPIMedia titles in Sussex, is urging our readers to reach out and check up on relatives, friends and neighbours this festive season.
Dr Tim Fooks, the High Sheriff of West Sussex, who has made loneliness a major focus of his first year in office, said: “In West Sussex, loneliness is well-recognised to have become an even more significant problem during the pandemic.
“Using the data from surveys taken by Age UK, the Jo Cox Commission and the Mental Health Foundation, it is likely that at least 50,000 adults and 20,000 17-24 years old in our county will be feeling lonely some or all of the time.
“Loneliness does not discriminate in terms of age but certain groups are more at risk. The widowed and those who are carers are particularly affected as are those who have had to shield for prolonged periods of time.
“Fifty per cent of those with a disability report being lonely and young people living in households, where the family unit is vulnerable or domestic violence is occurring, have felt especially isolated.”
He said the consequences of loneliness were ‘welldescribed and significant’.
“Older people who are lonely are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression, they have an increased risk for dementia for being admitted to hospital and are 3.5 times more likely to have to move into residential care,” he said.
“Vulnerability to criminal activity, such as scamming, is also a substantial problem.”
Sarah Rodgers, who will be the registered manager at Right at Home Chichester and Bognor Regis, a homecare service for older people and adults living with disabilities, when it opens in January, has been supporting elderly people in their own homes throughout the pandemic.
She said loneliness has been ‘ a big problem for people in our care, particularly when they are not tech savvy’.
“We started to realise it was often the carers that were the only people they would see in the whole duration of the day,” she said.
Many had family living far away who were not able to see them and care for them during the pandemic.
Some older people had understandably become ‘quite scared’ around coronavirus, she added.
“They’ve almost retreated, which is sad to see.
“They are losing their independence, when we are trying to promote their independence.”
Meanwhile, recent research by the Samaritans has revealed that being separated from family and loved ones over the Christmas period is one of the biggest concerns facing callers. More than a quarter of the charity’s volunteers who took part in a survey, over the past three months said they had spoken to people who were feeling concerned about their wellbeing over Christmas and the winter period.
Last Christmas, the Samaritans responded to more than a quarter of a million calls for help. More than 10,000 calls for help came on Christmas Day alone.
Liz Riach, director of Worthing Samaritans, said the charity’s volunteers would be there round-theclock throughout December to make sure there is someone there to listen to anyone who was feeling alone or struggling this festive season.
She said: “We know that Christmas can be difficult for many people, as it’s a time when loneliness can really hit home and that this might be heightened this year.
“Regardless of what happens with Covid restrictions, we want people to know that confidential support is available 24/7, and that we are there for everyone this Christmas.
“Every call for help is answered by a trained volunteer and talking to us is always free and confidential.”