Call for communities to end isolation of elderly

National charity Friends of the Elderly (FotE) is today calling on everyone to Be a Friend and help change the future of loneliness.

The campaign is encouraging people across the country to get to know their older neighbours, and look out for each other where they can. FotE, which is an official charity partner of 10 Downing Street, hopes to engage a minimum of 30,000 people in the first year of the campaign – the equivalent of at least 10 people in every town, village and city across the country.

The call to action is a direct response to Friends of the Elderly’s new research report, The Future of Loneliness, which shows that over five million older people in the UK are affected by loneliness, with more than a million (1 in 10 older people) saying they often feel lonely. Simply having everyday interactions has been proven to combat loneliness, which is why FotE wants to connect neighbours, individuals and, ultimately, communities across the country by encouraging everyone to Be a Friend.

The Future of Loneliness: Facing the challenge of loneliness for older people in the UK, 2014 to 2030 was conducted by FotE in partnership with global trends and insight firm the Future Foundation. Key findings include:

• From 2017 the 75+ population will grow rapidly. Demographic change alone will drive up the number of lonely older people in the UK  by 40 per cent by 2030
• There is a strong connection between low contact with family members and loneliness – contact with children is especially important
• There is a strong link between having low levels of income and being lonely – older people in poverty suffer lower frequency of social contact
• Technology has the potential to make a positive impact on loneliness, but by 2030, 703,000 (10 per cent) of older people will still not have a mobile phone or use the internet

The findings notably emphasise that personal interaction is needed to combat loneliness in older people. However, a supporting survey of the UK population showed that over 80 per cent of us currently have ‘irregular’ or ‘no contact’ with older people and over 50 per cent do not know our neighbours well enough to have a conversation with them. The report has provided a nationwide prediction of areas which will have the greatest potential need.

Being a friend is easy; it is simply getting to know the people that live around you and looking out for each other where you can. From having a chat at the bus stop or over the garden fence, there are so many simple ways you can stay connected and make a difference to someone’s day, whatever their age. You can make your promise to Be a Friend now at www.beafriendtoday.org.uk  

Prime Minister David Cameron said:“Friends of the Elderly is at the forefront of the fight against loneliness and isolation amongst older people. Their research shows that small acts of friendship, such as calling in on an elderly neighbour, can have a huge impact.

“The Be a Friend campaign will bring generations together to spark new and enduring friendships across the length and breadth of the country. I wish it every success.”

Steve Allen, CEO of Friends of the Elderly, commented:“Our Be a Friend campaign is a fundamental part of Friends of the Elderly’s long-term aim of combatting loneliness and isolation amongst older people. We already know that loneliness is a critical issue, but the Future of Loneliness report shows just how vital it is for us to take action now.  

We believe loneliness can be overcome with relatively simple interventions and by encouraging everyone to connect with their older neighbours, we can empower young and old to connect better within their communities.”