Measures to tackle loneliness and improve care for older people, announced by health secretary

Loneliness, social isolation and its ‘harmful effects’ in older people, will be tackled by identifying the areas where it is most prevalent, health secretary, Jeremy Hunt has announced.

Local councils will map the areas where loneliness is high, ensuring better care can be targeted for those who need it most, including older people.

The Department of Health says research shows that loneliness can affect health.

• It increases the risk of heart disease
• It puts people at greater risk of blood clots and dementia
• It makes them more likely to exercise less and drink more
• Socially isolated and lonely adults are also more likely to undergo early admission into residential or nursing care

Health secretary, Jeremy Hunt said: “Tackling loneliness, by giving people better care and improved services, is another step towards making the UK one of the best places to live in Europe for older people.

“I want the highest standards of treatment and care in our hospitals, in our care homes and in the community – and that means looking at whatever is needed to drive improvements.

“We need a measure of loneliness to shine a light on this problem and to know what we are dealing with. Once we have this solid evidence, local communities will have new tools to come up with the right, targeted solutions to the problem.”

Tackling social isolation is a new measure launched as part of the updated Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework for 2013/14.

It forms part of a package of plans to address the challenges of caring for an ageing population – including £20m to help thousands of older people stay warm and healthy over the winter.

Loneliness is a big issue in older people and research shows:

• More than half of those over the age of 75 live alone – with about one in ten suffering from ‘intense’ loneliness
• Half of older people – more than five million – say that the television is their main company
• 17 per cent of older people are in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week, and 11 per cent are in contact less than once a month

Local councils will now be able to compare data on how lonely or isolated the people in their area feel.

The information will help identify how serious the problem is in their communities and the action needed to tackle it.

Laura Ferguson, director of the Campaign to End Loneliness said: “Loneliness is a major health issue. An effective measure of isolation and loneliness is an important step to improving the lives of the hundreds of thousands of older people who are chronically lonely.

“This national measure can only help those making local health and care decisions to prioritise loneliness as a health issue, and one that they will tackle.”

Chair of The Silver Line, Esther Rantzen CBE said: “Loneliness creates a loss of confidence, an erosion of self-esteem, so that the front door becomes as solid as a brick wall and as impossible to break through. Some older people told me that they have nobody to speak to at all for weeks on end.

“And yet there are many varied projects and organisations all over the UK, often staffed by volunteers, who could break through this life-threatening isolation, if older people knew whom to contact.

“That is why we are in the process of creating a special helpline for older people, The Silver Line, which pilots from the end of November for three months and will launch nationally next year, and which will offer advice, information and friendship.

“We will have an important role in linking callers to the existing services in their local areas and we hope that our high profile will enable us to reach people who are at the moment totally isolated. Our slogan will be, “No question too big, no problem too small, no need to be alone.”

Paul Najsarek, ADASS and corporate director for Adult Services at Harrow Council said: “The development of the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework for 2013/14 has been a genuinely collaborative process between the Department of Health and local government.

“We strongly support the emphasis on the greater alignment of the framework with the Public Health and NHS Outcomes Frameworks – shared outcomes will drive the more efficient use of resources, and more seamless, joined-up care pathways.

“The framework’s focus on people’s experiences of care and support is welcome – in particular, a new measure of social isolation among users of care and carers will bring a renewed focus to efforts to support people to maintain the connections to their communities which are so vital to their wellbeing.

“This year’s framework marks a significant step forward, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Department to build on the framework in future years”.