Making the right connection helps to combat loneliness
Rural isolation particularly for the elderly is a real challenge. This article puts some really useful meat on the bones of the issue. We have been involved for some time in a social value project which helps to quantify these sort of issues at a very local level. If you would like to know more drop me a line. In the meantime this article tells us:
A study published today finds that disconnected communities could be costing the UK economy £32bn every year. The research, commissioned by the Eden Project’s neighbourhood initiative, The Big Lunch, which receives £1m-£2m a year from the Big Lottery Fund, reveals the annual cost to public services of social isolation and disconnected communities, including demand on health services and policing.
The study found that far from just being a symptom of old age, loneliness and social isolation affected a broad range of people: “[There are] key triggers that can disrupt lives and create a situation in which loneliness becomes the norm,” the report says. “[These] include becoming a new mum at a young age, facing empty nest syndrome or retirement, experiencing long-term health issues or mobility limitations, dealing with bereavement or going through a family breakdown, such as divorce or separation.”
According to the Office for National Statistics, Britain is the loneliness capital of Europe. We’re less likely to know our neighbours than residents anywhere else in the EU, and a high proportion of the population have no one to rely on in a crisis. It’s more than simply feeling lonely – research shows that isolation can have huge knock-on effects on both mental and physical health, which is one of the reasons why social isolation is costing the UK so much money.
According to the research, which was carried out by the consultancy the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), disconnected communities are also linked to a loss of productivity, with a net cost to the economy of about £12bn every year, based on previous research that found happiness could be associated with a 12% rise in productivity.