Written on August 5, 2014 at 9:36 am, by
We’ve probably all seen a newspaper headline arguing that technology is a cause of loneliness (“Loneliness in Britain is the legacy of social media and our high tech lives”) or an easy cure (“Give pensioners iPads to stop them feeling lonely, ministers indicate”). But life, and technology, is never that simple and we know from…
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Written on July 31, 2014 at 1:51 pm, by
There are many causes of loneliness. One important cause is feeling you cannot form meaningful relationships simply because you’re afraid to show who you really are. For gay, lesbian or bisexual people, growing older can be an isolating experience. Being scared to be yourself can mean social withdrawal, creating feelings of profound loneliness. James Taylor,…
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Written on July 28, 2014 at 9:56 am, by
If we’re to understand the causes of loneliness among older people, we have to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes. When it comes to older people from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups, there’s often an assumption they live in ‘traditional’ family structures, with young relations looking after or living with older generations. Though there is some…
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Written on July 1, 2014 at 3:53 pm, by
Living with cancer brings many challenges for those affected – and one particularly difficult challenge can be coping with the social and emotional isolation associated with the disease. Each year around 150,000 people over 50 are diagnosed with cancer, and our research suggests 1 in 5 people over 55 with cancer will lack support at…
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Written on June 16, 2014 at 8:22 am, by
Headlines are full of activities that are bad for our health: we eat too much, we drink, and we don’t get enough exercise. But there’s a hidden factor just as damaging to our mental health – that of loneliness. Research shows that strong, loving relationships are crucial to good physical and mental health, and that…
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Written on June 11, 2014 at 2:42 pm, by
When an older person moves from familiar surroundings into a care home, it can be an emotional upheaval. For many of us, it will be the final great change in their lives – and come sooner than anticipated. The transition from independence to becoming dependent on others can happen overnight. A fall leading to hospital…
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Written on May 29, 2014 at 11:45 am, by
When we think of problem drinking, we may think of headlines featuring young people drinking heavily or alcohol’s contribution to homelessness. But alcohol misuse among older people is a serious problem: since the 1990s 60% more men and twice as many women have begun drinking at unhealthy levels. And as the UK’s older population grows,…
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Written on May 27, 2014 at 9:18 am, by
The following guest blog post by Richard Kramer, Deputy Chief Executive of Sense, has been written to complement our new collection of essays, ‘Alone in the Crowd: Loneliness and diversity’. Older people who sight or hearing problems Few conditions can be more isolating than being both deaf and blind. Older people with sensory loss can…
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Written on June 26, 2013 at 12:47 pm, by
The Royal Voluntary Service is a founding partner of the Campaign to End Loneliness and like the other four partners (and our 400 supporter organisations), delivers both practical and research-based work in order to improve the lives of older people. Tackling loneliness through consultation Latest research from the Royal Voluntary Service, Shaping our Age, has…
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Written on June 26, 2013 at 9:05 am, by
Over the past few months there have been a number of reports showing that A&E across the country is in crisis, stretched to breaking point with the increasing number of patients coming through their doors. Some of these patients are non-urgent cases, mistakenly advised to dial 999. There are other patients turning up who should…
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