Reconnections: Breaking the cycle of loneliness and isolation
Paul Chouls, Caseworker for Reconnections, writes about using the five steps to well-being as a starting point to breaking loneliness and isolation.
Statistics. They are all around us. They are used to influence us to buy a certain product, determine how much your car insurance costs, know how many packs of cornflakes your local supermarket needs to order each week, so they don’t run out.
I’m no statistical expert, and until recently the only stat that had stuck with me was “8 out of 10 owners said their cat preferred it” — and it must have resonated with a few more people with the TV show title “8 out of 10 Cats” paying homage.
That was until joining Independent Age in October as a Caseworker for the Reconnections pilot service. During my induction two statistics were so startling that they have remained in the forefront of my mind.
Loneliness, living alone and poor social connections are as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. *
What?!! Really…15 cigarettes a day!?? I mean you would do all you could to encourage someone to give up smoking for the sake of their health. Right?
Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone at all. **
That’s shocking — and at least?! So that means that, some older people go even longer without any form of social contact.
Reconnections look to use the five steps to wellbeing as a basis to try and break the cycle of loneliness and isolation, those steps being:
As the diagram shows those steps are linked and it works.
“I really miss walking with someone. “Ears prick up and that leads to a (socially distanced) wellbeing walk being arranged.
“Everything’s on Zoom. I don’t do Zoom.” Ears prick up and a “How to use Zoom” link is sent with follow up telephone help and Zoom test calls — the mysteries of Zoom are solved.
“I really miss a good sing-song.” Ears prick up and a local sing along group is found online, so while enjoying their passion for singing there is also the chance to meet new people and make new friends.
“I’m not online, it’s all gone online.” Ears prick up and look at offering telephone befriending or activities like Independent Age coffee mornings.
“I just miss not seeing a friendly face.” Ears prick up and a wellbeing drive-by is arranged. Just to say hello, we are here!
Those are just a few examples of what has been achieved during lockdown, and as we slowly start to ease the restrictions, so the opportunities to engage become greater.
It’s about really listening to the individual, finding out what makes that person tick and encouraging them to rekindle those interests and hobbies. Linking up with the resources already out there in the local community.
To become part of the local community again. To feel included again.
After all, we are all working towards the same vision that we can all lead a happy, connected and purposeful later life.
Reconnections by Independent Age is a volunteer-led service that supports over-65s in rediscovering their love of life in the communities where they live. Reconnections operates in Barking & Dagenham and Havering and Guildford & Waverley.
* (Holt-Lunstad, 2010)
** Age UK 2016, No-one should have no one.
