End loneliness together

Loneliness is a subjective experience and is experienced differently by everyone. It can be:

• social - missing a group or network of friends
• emotional - for example missing a particular loved one after bereavement
• transient - it comes and goes
• situational - lonely at particular times such as birthdays, Christmas, bank holidays
• chronic - severely lonely all or most of the time 

Social isolation is about the quality and quantity of the social relationships a person has either individually, as a group, in a community or society.

Social isolation and loneliness are different because:

• it’s possible for someone to feel lonely without being socially isolated – this is often described as ‘feeling lonely in a crowded room’, for example care home residents are not isolated but evidence shows many feel lonely
• some people choose to be on their own and are happy with this – therefore, they may be socially isolated by choice but not feel lonely

Humans are social beings and loneliness is a natural human experience. Just like hunger and thirst are signals to take action to eat and drink in order to survive, loneliness is a signal to connect for mutual protection.

Loneliness is therefore valuable in small doses as it encourages us to reconnect. But experiencing these uncomfortable feelings over a long period of time can lead to chronic loneliness and is harmful to health.

Evidence shows that social connections also provide physical health protection. Therefore, being connected and feeling satisfied with your relationships is good for your health.

Despite loneliness being a natural experience, there is a stigma attached to admitting to feeling lonely. This stigma can prevent people from asking for help which increases the chance of feelings of loneliness becoming a long term issue. 

It's estimated that the number of people over 65 who are often or always lonely is over one million, set to increase to two million by 2026.

With East Ayrshire’s population, aged 65 and over set to increase from 19.5% to 27.4% by 2034, loneliness is an important priority for local authorities, the NHS and partners.

Loneliness can affect people of all ages.

Triggers can occur throughout a person’s life and often in response to some kind of transition in their life. 

It can be an issue for:

• pregnant woman who have no support
• children and young people who don’t feel like they belong
• young adults who have moved away from home or left a care environment
• working age people who may have been made unemployed, become a new parent, had a break up of a relationship or become a carer
• people who have retired
• people in later life where poor health, mobility or bereavement could increase risk of loneliness

11% of adults in Scotland feel lonely all the time (38% sometimes, 49% never felt lonely) – The Mental Health Foundation (2010). The Lonely Society. Griffin, J.

The Our Voice Citizens’ Panel indicated that 1 in 10 people in Scotland often feel lonely – Our Voice Citizen’s Panel (2017).

53% of people in East Ayrshire strongly agree that they could rely on their friends/relatives in their neighbourhood for help. This is significantly lower than the national average.

Evidence shows that loneliness has a negative impact on both physical and mental health and increases the risk of early mortality.

There is strong evidence that the influence of social relationships has a similar effect to many other public health issues, for example:

• suffering from loneliness can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, worse that being physically inactive or obese
• people who are lonely and socially isolated have poorer health behaviours, for example:
  • smoking
  • physical inactivity
  • less fruit and vegetable intake
  • poorer sleep

Benefits to individuals

• Positive impact on physical and mental health
• People living longer in good health
• Healthier and happier East Ayrshire

Benefits for health and social care services

• Reduced health and social care costs
• Fewer GP visits
• Lower use of medication
• Fewer days in hospital

Benefits for communities

• Increased productivity (for employers)
• Improved independence
• Kind, connected communities
• Increased contribution to society
• More inclusive society

Remember:

• it's completely normal to feel lonely; it's nothing to be ashamed of
• nearly all of us experience loneliness at different stages of our lives
• to tell family and friends about how you are feeling – if you don’t tell anyone, they won’t be able to help you
• to ask for help - need to develop local pathway to support 
• even the smallest amount of social contact can make a difference to how you feel

Consider what you can do to create a kind and connected East Ayrshire. Make connections through small acts of kindness, such as:

• making an effort to say hello to neighbours or drop in for a coffee
• starting a conversation with someone at the bus stop or supermarket
• helping others – do your elderly neighbours need help around the house or could you make an extra meal for someone living on their own?
• if someone is new to the neighbourhood or workplace, reach out and make them feel included