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Loneliness and Social Isolation

Loneliness is an issue within our society, and this page demonstrates it is a growing issue. We have chosen to support the elderly as this is a growing sector of our community as we all live for longer. Sycamore Dining are utilizing one of the most basic solutions to make a difference with addressing loneliness, simply eating together and socialising. We use social dining to improve the health and wellbeing of our customers.
Volunteering

An excellent way of avoiding loneliness is volunteering, as this gives you an interest, gives an opportunity to meet and get to know a new group of people, and helps keep your mind and body more healthy. Sycamore Dining provides volunteering opportunities in Nottingham so why not join our tram?

Did You Know?

In the UK by 2039:
  • Population aged 65+ will rise from 8.3m to 9.22m
  • Population aged 75+ will rise by 89% (9.9m)
  • More than 1 in 12 of the population will be aged 85+
  • Population aged 85+ will reach 3.6m
  • No of people aged 100 will rise from 14,000 to 83,000
In the UK by 2036:
  • Over half of local authorities projected to have 25%+ of their population aged 65+
  • 3-4% of local authorities projected to have 3-4% of their population aged 85+
  • Some local authorities' population aged 65+ expected to nearly match those aged 16 to 64
In terms of loneliness and social isolation specifically:
  • 1.2m older people in the UK are chronically lonely
  • 51% of people aged 70+ live alone
  • Over 2.2m people aged 75+ live alone (up 24% over the last 20 year)
  • 1.5m older people don't see or speak to someone for at least 6 days a week
  • 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with friends or family for a month
  • 2/5 (3.9m) of all older people say TV is their main company
  • 1.9m older people often feel ignored or invisible
  • 18% of older people feel lonely always or often
  • 38% of people with dementia have lost friends after their diagnosis
and amongst callers to The Silverline (2018)
In Nottingham:
  • 12% of the population were aged 65+ in 2016 (2% aged 85+)
  • 13% of the population will be aged 65+ in 2026 (2% aged 85+)
  • 16% of the population will be aged 68+ in 2036 (3% aged 85+)
  • For each 1000 people aged 16 to 64 in Nottingham, there were 165 aged 65+ in 2016, this will increase to 198 by 2026, and to 239 by 2036
  • 90% of callers say they live alone (UK average = 49%)
  • 53% of callers say they have no one else to speak to at all
  • 40% of callers are men, traditionally hard to reach

Loneliness is associated with depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, impaired cognitive health, heightened vascular resistance, hypertension, psychological stress and mental health problems. It also makes it harder for people to regulate their behaviour, so they are more likely to drink too much, eat unhealthily or exercise less.

The Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness
​

  • Loneliness can be as harmful for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day
  • People who are chronically lonely are at increased risk of developing dementia by 64%.
  • Social networks and friendships not only have an impact on reducing risk of mortality or developing certain diseases, but they also help individuals to recover when they do fall ill
  • Loneliness increases the likelihood of mortality by 26%
  • Loneliness is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
  • Loneliness increases the risk of high blood pressure
  • Lonely individuals are at higher risk of the onset of disability
  • Lonely people are more prone to depression
  • Loneliness and low social interaction are predictive of suicide in older age
  • Loneliness can be as harmful for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day 
  • People who are chronically lonely are at increased risk of developing dementia by 64%. 
  • Social networks and friendships not only have an impact on reducing risk of mortality or developing certain diseases, but they also help individuals to recover when they do fall ill 
  • Loneliness increases the likelihood of mortality by 26% 
  • Loneliness is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke 
  • Loneliness increases the risk of high blood pressure 
  • Lonely individuals are at higher risk of the onset of disability 
  • Lonely people are more prone to depression 
  • Loneliness and low social interaction are predictive of suicide in older age 

Looking from the opposite perspective, social relationships and connections can (Griffiths, 2017)

➢ Give us a sense of belonging and identify

➢ Provide support or knowledge about available support

➢ Promotes positive behaviours e.g. to live more healthy lives
➢ Help us cope with pressure, stress and change  

 

Social isolation has a negative impact on health and well-being resulting in increased costs for health and social care; and there are clear links between inequality, social isolation and health

For example, individuals who are socially isolated are: 

➢ 1.8 times more likely to visit a GP and 1.6 times more likely to visit A&E

➢ 1.3 times more likely to have emergency admissions

➢ 3.5 times more likely to enter local authority funded residential care

➢ 3.4 times more likely to suffer depression

➢ 1.9 times more likely to develop dementia 

➢ Two thirds more likely to be physically inactive leading to a 7% increased likelihood of diabetes, 8% increased likelihood of a stroke and 14% increased likelihood of coronary heart disease.

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