Social Isolation And Loneliness Landscape UK V6
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UKWith a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions0SOCIAL ISOLATIONAND LONELINESS INTHE UKWith a focus on theuse of technology totackle these conditionsHannah GriffithsFUTURE CITIES CATAPULTIoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK1With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditionsCONTENTS2. INTRODUCTIONIoTUK.org.ukInfo@IoTUK.org.uk3. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TERM SOCIALISOLATION AND LONELINESS?@IoTUKNews3. Definitions3. WHY IS THERE A NEED TO TACKLE SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS?3. Identification of impacts5. Quantification of impacts7. WHO IS AFFECTED BY SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS?12. HOW ARE LONELINESS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION MEASURED?12. Common metrics, indicators and outcomes13. WHAT IS BEING DONE TO ADDRESS LONELINESS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION?13.13.15.19.InterventionsEnabling individuals to maintain existing relationshipsFacilitating the creation of new connectionsPsychological approaches of individuals that are suffering from theconditions20. Summary21. HOW ARE INTERVENTIONS BEING FINANCED?21. Traditional financing methods22. Emerging financing models: outcome-based contracting25. CONCLUSION27. REFERENCES.IoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UKWith a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions2INTRODUCTIONLoneliness and social isolation are complexconditions which, until recently, have remainedrelatively under-researched. Where researchhas been conducted, it has almost exclusivelyfocused on the prevalence of the conditions onolder demographics, and has largely ignoredthe development of the conditions amongstyounger people.However, both social isolation and lonelinessare starting to receive increased attention fromlocal authorities, health and social careproviders and third-sector organisations due togrowing evidence around the negative impactsthey have on health and wellbeing. Researchhas shown that, in terms of negative healthoutcomes, lacking social connections iscomparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, andhas worse health outcomes than risk factorssuch as obesity and physical inactivity. It hasbeen calculated that loneliness increases thelikelihood of mortality by 26% in older people. (1)IoTUKThis report aims to provide an overview of thesocial isolation and loneliness landscape in theUK, taking into account the factors thatcontribute to the development of the conditions,those who are commonly affected, the impactsof the conditions on individuals and publicservices, and the approaches and interventionsthat are currently used to address them. Inparticular, this report seeks to highlight theinnovative uses of technology in addressingloneliness and isolation, as these are expectedto act as key enablers in the future. Whereverpossible, local and international best practicecase-studies have been included to illustrate theprogress being made in this domain. Finally, thisdocument touches upon the challenges facedwhen trying to finance interventions aiming tocombat social isolation and loneliness, andintroduces an outcome-based financing modelwhich could facilitate the delivery of moreinnovative solutions.
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK3With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditionsWHAT IS MEANT BY THE TERMS SOCIALISOLATION AND LONELINESS?2.1 DEFINITIONSThe terms social isolation and loneliness areoften used interchangeably, however there aseveral important distinctions to be made.Definitions of each are becoming standardisedwith a number of research reports and evidencereviews using the following definitions:Meanwhile loneliness is defined as ‘a subjectivestate based on a person’s emotional perceptionof the number and/or quality of socialconnections they need compared to what iscurrently being experienced.’ (2) Feelings ofloneliness are not just caused by physicalisolation and lack of companionship, but alsothrough a lack of useful role in society.Social isolation is defined as ‘an objective statedetermined by the quantity of socialrelationships and contacts between individuals,across groups and communities.’ (2) Socialisolation can be caused physically throughdistance or disability, or emotionally throughsocial stigmas or traumatic events.Therefore, it is possible for an individual to besocially isolated without feeling lonely, orconversely feel lonely without being sociallyisolated. Nevertheless, the conditions are oftenfound together due to the similar factors thatcontribute to the development of the conditions.WHY IS THERE A NEED TO TACKLESOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS?3.1 IDENTIFICATION OF IMPACTSThere is a growing body of research thatidentifies and quantifies the impact of socialisolation and loneliness on individuals and thewider economy. There is clear evidence thatsocial isolation and loneliness are associatedwith negative health outcomes, which in turnplaces increased stress on local health andsocial care services. Specific impacts of socialisolation and loneliness include: More frequent use of public services due tolack of support networksIndividuals that are socially isolated are:o 1.8 times more likely to visit a GPo 1.6 times more likely to visit A&Eo 1.3 times more likely to have emergencyadmissionso 3.5 times more likely to enter local authorityfunded residential care. (3)IoTUK Increased likelihood of developing certainhealth conditionsResearch by Holt-Lunstad states that ‘weaksocial connections carry a health risk that ismore harmful than not exercising, twice asharmful as obesity, and is comparable tosmoking 15 cigarettes a day or being analcoholic.’ (1) Specifically, socially isolatedpeople are:o 3.4 times more likely to suffer depressiono 1.9 times more likely to develop dementia inthe following 15 yearso 2 to 3 times more likely to be physicallyinactive, which may result in a 7% increasedlikelihood of developing diabetes, an 8%increased likelihood of suffering a stroke anda 14% likelihood of developing coronaryheart disease. (3)
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK4With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions Increased mortalityLoneliness has been found to increase thelikelihood of mortality by 26%, and in the caseof an emergency, any social contact isassociated with increased survival rates. This isexplained well in a report that came out of theMarmot Review, which states:those who have strong social ties to dieprematurely. Social networks have a largerimpact on the risk of mortality than on the riskof developing disease, in the sense it is not somuch that social networks stop you fromgetting ill, but that they help you to recoverwhen you get ill.’ (4)‘Individuals who are socially isolated arebetween two and five times more likely thanTheimpactoflonelinesso npublicsectorresources(3)IoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK5With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions3.2 QUANTIFICATION OF IMPACTSIn their June 2013 report, The Second HalfFoundation quantified some of the potential costbenefits associated with tackling social isolationand loneliness. The table produced has beenincluded below:HEALTH ISSUES ARISING FROM ISOLATIONCOST PER UNITCost of dementia or cognitive decline ‘Peoplewith a high degree of loneliness are twice aslikely to develop Alzheimer’s than people with alow degree of loneliness’ (BBC, 2007) ‘Half of allolder people consider the television as theirmain form of company’ (Age UK ‘CombatingLoneliness’) 2500 -- annual NHS costs of treating onepatient with mild dementia in the community(King’s Fund, 2008) The service costs associatedwith dementia are far higher than all otherconditions put together, making up 66% of allmental health service costs. (King’s Fund, 2008)Re-admission into hospital/ EmergencyHospital AdmissionsAround one in three of all hospital admissionsin England are emergencies, costing the NHSsome 11 billion a year - one of the mostexpensive areas of the health service. (NuffieldReport, 2011) In one study of over 70s, patientswho lived alone were 60% more likely to visitthe emergency department than those wholived solely with their spouse (Hastings et al.,2008 p. 458)Total cost 563 million - per unit 4,021 Rise ofelderly re-admission increased 88% 2000-09/10(Age UK, 2013) “Older people account for 40percent i.e. 563 million of total spend of 1.42billion. The rate in the most deprived areas ismore than twice the rate in the least deprivedareas in England” (The King’s Fund April, 2012)Mental Health Costs and Reducing visits toGPsToday, the annual economic cost of mentalillness in the UK is 70 Billion—equal to theentire National Health Budget (Ruby Wax, SaneNew World, 2013). In 2003 (Thomas), theestimated total cost of adult depression was 9billion of which 370 million represents directtreatment costs‘Loneliness is strongly correlated with mentalhealth costs; the probability of having a mentalhealth need is 47 percentage points higheramong populations of older people who arelonely’ (Social Finance, 2013)Preventing an Integrated Care case review 276 – INWL QIPP TeamLowering blood pressure and subsequentlyrisk of strokeA recent study has positively correlated socialisolation with blood pressure as well as Creactive protein and fibrinogen levels whichincreases risk of heart disease and stroke(Shankhar et al., 2011) 1628 – applicable 2008/09 PbR tariff for aTransitory Ischemic Attack (TIA) (AlzheimerSociety, 2009)Reducing length of hospital staysEach hospital bed costs 260 per day (Age UK,2013)IoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK6With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditionsThere has been a large and avoidable rise inthe number of overnight hospital stays, whichcost the NHS 330m annually. (Nuffield Report,2011) In 2005, one in ten people aged over 50had stayed in hospital as an inpatient in theprevious 12 months (ONS, 2005).The national average length of stay in bed forthose over 65 is 9.5 days (King’s Fund, 2012)Benefits of improved physical health Reducingnumber of falls among the elderly. One third ofall people aged over 65 fall each year 3million (Age UK, 2013). Age UK says evidencehas shown that if elderly people take part inexercise programmes specifically designed toimprove strength and balance, the risk of fallscan be cut by up to 55%. (BBC, 2010) Physicalinactivity costs 8.2 billion annually (NICE, 2008)Physical activity has been shown to reduce risksfor cardiovascular disease, coronary diseaseand high blood pressure. A recent study hasdemonstrated that people over 70 who exerciseregularly show less brain shrinkage over athree-year period, which causes problems withmemory and thinking (Age UK, 2012) Anotherstudy spanning 10 years revealed that womenaged 75 or over and classed as active had adeath rate 68% lower than those classed asleast active (Sherman et al., 1994)Falls of the Elderly can cost the NHS 4.6mn perday (Age UK, 2013) The combined cost ofhospitalization and social care for hip fractures(most of which are due to falls) is 2 billion ayear or 6 million a day (Age UK, 2013)Estimated cost per hip fracture patient is nowroutinely set at 28,000 (Age UK, 2013) The onlyUK study cited showed that twice-weeklyexercise classes led by qualified instructors arecost effective in the UK with an incrementalsavings cost per QALY of 12,100 (95% CI 5,800 to 61,400) (NICE, October 2008)(5)Based on the impacts and cost benefitsdescribed above, it is clear there are strongeconomic and health-based business cases fortackling loneliness and social isolation. Tacklingthese issues not only alleviates suffering andimproves quality of life for affected individuals,but also delivers wider benefits to communities.Through reconnecting isolated and lonelyindividuals, the community gains access totheir economic and social capital.IoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK7With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditionsWHO IS AFFECTED BY SOCIALISOLATION AND LONELINESS?FrequencyoflonelinessinpeopleintheUKHow much of the time in the last week did you feel lonely? (%)AgeAll or almost allthe timeMost of the timeSome of the timeNone or almost noneUnder 252.35.728.863.325 - 340.93.826.668.835 - 442.34.322.171.445 - 542.82.521.773.055 - 643.16.421.169.565 - 745.33.619.771.475 5.76.528.357.5UK Sample (2,386 respondents aged 15 )(6)Social isolation and loneliness are conditionsthat are generally perceived to affect olderpeople. While it is true that these conditionsmay be more prevalent in the oldergenerations, they can occur at all stages of thelife-course, as illustrated by the table above. Itis important to note that the effects of socialisolation have been shown to accumulate overtime, and the health risks associated withisolation and loneliness increase as peopleage. It is therefore important to be aware of thefactors that may contribute to social isolationand feelings of loneliness, so that efforts canbe made to prevent these conditions as earlyas possible. These contributing factors aredetailed in the table orsDescriptionAgeBeing older is a strong predictor of loneliness. People aged over 80 are morethan twice as likely to suffer severe loneliness when compared to younger agegroups.GenderBoth men and woman can become isolated, however data from the EnglishLongitudinal Study of Ageing suggests that among the older population, men aremore isolated than women. Older men reported less monthly contact with boththeir children and friends than women. (6)IoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UKWith a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions8PartnershipstatusIndividuals who are married or co-habiting with a partner report lower rates ofloneliness. A report on the Future of Loneliness found that while only 4% of thosemarried and aged over 50 reported being regularly lonely, 22% of widows areoften lonely.EthnicityEthnic minority communities may encounter social isolation due to languagebarriers, cultural or religious differences.IncomeLow income is an important predictor of loneliness as these groups tend to bedisadvantaged in a number of ways. For example: lower levels of mobility, lessaccess to technology and reduced ability to participate in leisure activities.DisabilityDisability is also an important predictor of loneliness. Disabled charity Sensefound that 23% of disabled people feel lonely most days, rising to 38% for youngdisabled people. (7)Physical andmental healthPeople with long-term health conditions can suffer from social isolation andloneliness due to decreased levels of mobility and increased time spent atmedical appointments and getting treatment.Access totechnology, theinternet andsocial mediaTechnology has the potential to make a positive impact on loneliness through theprovision of communication channels and interactive entertainment. However,there are ongoing debates which suggest technology can actually contribute tothe exclusion and isolation of certain groups.CommunityFactorsDescriptionAccess topublic andprivatetransportPoor transport links can create barriers to social inclusion, preventing people fromaccessing jobs and socialising opportunities.BuiltenvironmentThe built environment can have a significant impact on whether a personbecomes socially isolated, as it affects physical access to family, friends, healthservices, community centres, shops and other places that facilitate the buildingand maintaining of social relationships.Area safetySafe public spaces, with pavements to walk on and lighting are also part of thephysical infrastructures that impact social interaction.Availability ofcommunityinfrastructureThe availability of ‘social capital’ in the form of community infrastructure has astrong impact on isolation. The prevalence of recreational areas, cultural groupsand voluntary sector organisations has been shown to reduce loneliness incommunities.Local economyThe strength of the local economy, for example, the availability of employmentopportunities, has a considerable impact on social isolation and loneliness.IoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK9With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these tRecent cuts to public sector budgets may contribute to social isolation andloneliness, as funding for interventions may be untenable and the frequency ofsocial care visits may decrease. The regeneration of urban areas may also lead tothe isolation of the existing communities.PensionstructuresFor the past generation, the state pension has increased in real value terms, thisis unlikely to continue with such increases looking unsustainable between nowand 2030. (8)PoliticalclimateNational housing, planning and transport policies will likely impact localdevelopment which has a residual effect on isolation, while shifts in politicaldirection may lead to changes in state support networks. For example: greateremphasis may be placed on individual responsibility.DemographicchangeWidespread changes at the demographic level are contributing to social isolationand loneliness. For example: people are living longer, more people are livingalone, divorce rates are increasing and fewer people are in ereport:SocialIsolationinBristol(2014)(7)As mentioned previously, the effects ofsocial isolation and loneliness accumulateover time, however the conditions can alsobe caused by specific life experiences ortransitions. To this end, it is helpful to viewthe emergence of these conditions from alife-course perspective, in order to see howthe effects are compounded over time. Thefollowing life-course break-downs havebeen adapted from the report, ‘Reducingsocial isolation across the life-course’ (6): Pregnancy and Early YearsWhile pregnancy can provideopportunities to create new socialnetworks, a survey conducted on behalfof the charity Family Action found that20% of expectant mothers lack asupportive social environment to helpthem through their pregnancy. Thispercentage rises for expectant mothers inlow income households. Mothers withoutsupportive social environments have beenseen to suffer from increased levels ofdepression and there is a growing bodyof evidence linking maternal depressionto impaired early child development.Therefore, social isolation amongexpectant mothers has the potential totransfer disadvantage acrossgenerations.IoTUK Childhood and AdolescenceSocial isolation and loneliness in theyoung is generally caused by bullying dueto non-conformance to local norms in theareas of physical appearance, ethnicity,spoken languages, cultural attitudes,beliefs and sexuality. These factors resultin an increased risk of being bullied orexcluded by peers. Furthermore, childrenwho have come from unstablebackgrounds, such as those who havegrown up in care, are also more likely tosuffer from social isolation and loneliness.Children who experience sustained socialisolation and loneliness typically havelower educational outcomes, as well ashigher rates of smoking and obesity inadulthood.Studies have also found that young carersexperience heightened levels of socialisolation and loneliness due to stress andanxiety brought about by their caringresponsibilities. The 2011 census reportsthat there are nearly 178,000 carers agedbetween 5 and 17 in England and Wales. Young AdultsThe major life change that occurs afterleaving school has been a trigger forsocial isolation and loneliness for manyyoung adults. Some will be startingcollege or university which presents new
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK10With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditionschallenges in terms of adapting to newfound levels of independence, newpeople and surroundings. Other youngpeople will transition directly into theworld of employment and will face similarchallenges.However, it is those individuals that do notprogress to further education, training oremployment that are most at risk ofbecoming socially isolated and lonely. Beinga young person that is not in education,training or employment (NEET) has adetrimental effect on future life chances dueto the lack of opportunities to develop skills.This leads to individuals falling behind theirpeers in the labour market, and may result inlong-term income deprivation and increasedlikelihood of social isolation. Working ageSocial isolation and loneliness amongworking age adults is rarely considered,however there are a number of experiencesand transitions that can trigger theseconditions within this life-stage.Specifically, the loss of employment hasbeen found to trigger social isolation andloneliness in some individuals due to incomedeprivation and reduction in daily socialinteractions. A report on social networksproduced by the Royal Society for theEncouragement of Arts, Manufacturers andCommerce (RSA) found that 50% ofunemployed people were socially isolated.Another transition that has been seen totrigger social isolation and loneliness is themove into parenthood. It is common for oneparent to give up or scale-back workcommitments in order to take care of thechildren which can lead to a reduction in thenumber of daily social interactions.Finally, a number of formative experiencescan be caused by, or lead to social isolation.Addiction, for example, can be trigged bysocial isolation, or addiction can lead to theonset of isolation. These individuals typicallyexperience these conditions in the extreme,and common outcomes are severe healthproblems and complete withdrawal frommainstream society. Retirement and later lifeThe problems of social isolation andloneliness are most commonly discussed inrelation to older people. Decreasingeconomic resources, declining health,mobility impairments and the death ofpeers all contribute to the onset of theseconditions in older people. In a 2013 study,The Future Foundation reported that theoverall number of older people reportingloneliness in the UK is expected to rise by40%, from 5.25m today to 7m by 2030.Moreover, the rate of growth of the lonelyolder population will also trend upwardsduring this time, increasing from a currentrate of 1.3-1.5% per year from 2015-2018, toover 2% per year during the early 2020s.Numbersof60 ssufferingloneliness,2014- ‐‑2030(modelbasedu ulation’ (8)IoTUK
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UKWith a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions11The strong correlation between loneliness andage suggests that it is likely to become agrowing concern as the UK population ages.However, it should be noted that feelings ofloneliness are not felt uniformly across all agesof older people. In recent years, there has beena much-needed positive reassessment ofageing, which has led to later retirements andthe emergence of a fitter, more active and morefulfilling lifestyle for those in the immediate post-Frequency of loneliness by age(3)SummaryIoTUKretirement years. Levels of lonelinessexperienced by those between the ages of 60-69are actually lower than those within the 52-59age bracket.Therefore, in order to avoid a lonelier olderpopulation, effort and interventions areincreasingly being focused on the ‘older old’, orthose over 80.t
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK12With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditionsAs described above, it is clear that there anumber of general factors that contribute to theonset of loneliness and social isolationregardless of stage in the life-course. However,there are also a set of more specific factors thatcan trigger the conditions at particular points inlife. As the majority of research around socialisolation and loneliness focuses on the elderlypopulation, many of these factors are missed,resulting in interventions being targeted at onespecific group. This section has aimed to raiseawareness of loneliness and social isolationamong other population demographics, aswell as highlighting more specific contributors,in addition to the established socio-economicand general contributing factors.Contributors to social isolation and lonelinessHOW ARE LONELINESS AND SOCIALISOLATION MEASURED?5.1 COMMON METRICS, INDICATORS ANDOUTCOMESAs social isolation and loneliness arebecoming more high profile problemswithin society, the methods used tomeasure these conditions are becomingincreasingly standardised. There areestablished frameworks in place to identifyand quantify the extent to which individualsare socially isolated or lonely. Additionally,there are recommended sets of outcomeindicators which, when measured pre- andpost-intervention, should demonstratewhether the intervention has beensuccessful in its aims to address socialisolation and/or loneliness.Firstly, in line with the objective nature ofsocial isolation, measures of this conditionIoTUKare generally discrete and easilyquantifiable. Typical measures of socialisolation include: Social network size Social network diversity Frequency of interaction Attendance at group events Amount of time spent socialising withfriends and family Participation in volunteering activities Learning and sharing new experiences (9)On the other hand, measures of lonelinessare far more subjective and often rely onself-measurement. There are a number ofestablished frameworks for measuringloneliness. These include: Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale Single Question metrics
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK13With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditionsThese frameworks often contain statementslike ‘my interests and ideas are not sharedby those around me’, ‘my socialrelationships are superficial’ and ‘peopleare around me but not with me.’ In the caseof the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale,individuals are asked to score eachstatement on a scale of 1-4 (1 being neverand 4 being often). (10)Finally, in terms of outcomes, the followinglist is said to help assess the effectiveness ofinterventions in improving loneliness andsocial isolation across identified individuals,while also contributing to proving thebusiness case: Number of planned and unplannedhospital admissions Number of readmissions to hospital Number of A&E visits Number of outpatient appointments Support packages from adult social carerequired Domiciliary support required Informal support required Entry to residential care Qualitative feedback on whether theservice had an impact on sense ofwellbeing and health Level of participation within thecommunity. (3) Number of GP visits Anti-depressant prescription usageWHAT IS BEING DONE TO ADDRESSLONELINESS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION?6.1 INTERVENTIONSInterventions aiming to tackle socialisolation and loneliness typically addressthree main areas: Enabling individuals to maintain existingrelationships Facilitating the creation of newconnections Using psychological approaches tochange perceptions of individuals that aresuffering from the conditions (Jopling,2015).In line with the overarching subject of this report,this section will focus on exploring the range ofapproaches that are being implemented toenable individuals to maintain existingrelationships, create new social connections andchange their thinking around their conditions. Aswell as identifying traditional approaches,wherever possible, the report will identifyinnovative technology-enabled interventions thatare also being used to alleviate social isolationand loneliness. While conducting research itbecame apparent that the vast majority ofinterventions in this area are focused onIoTUKaddressing isolation and loneliness amongst theolder population, therefore the interventionsdiscussed in this report largely target thisdemographic.6.2 ENABLING INDIVIDUALS TO MAINTAINEXISTING RELATIONSHIPSImproving access to transport and technology isseen as a vital way of enabling individuals tomaintain existing relationships. Transport: Availability of affordable, accessibleand safe transport has been identified ashaving a huge impact on social isolation andloneliness. Poor transport can restrict access toopportunities such as further education,training, employment, as well as access tohealth facilities, shops and amenities (Clarke,2014). Therefore, reducing barriers to localpublic and community transport should be atop priority for local authorities looking tocombat social isolation.
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN THE UK14With a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions Technology: The impact of technology onsocial isolation and loneliness has long been atopic of debate, with some arguing that the useof technology has increased and exacerbatedthe exclusion of certain demographic groups,while others maintain that technology can play acrucial role in enabling people to maintain socialconnections. Technology-based interventionssuch as video conferencing, computer trainingand the provision of internet access have beenshown to have generally positive effects onsocial isolation, while the impacts of socialmedia are less conclusive.While the enablers listed above are wellevidenced, there are a number of moreinnovative interventions that are leveragingtechnology to tackle isolation and loneliness.The video message was then transmitted backto the photo frame, the LEDs would illuminateto indicate a new message had been receivedand through touching the frame the videomessage would being to play.The senior users appreciated the simpledesign, tactile user experience and unobtrusivemanner of the communication tool, howeverexpressed a desire to be able to sendmessages and videos to family members,rather than being limited by the asynchronouscommunication capabilities of the currentpr
Mental Health Costs and Reducing visits to GPs Today, the annual economic cost of mental illness in the UK is 70 Billion—equal to the entire National Health Budget (Ruby Wax, Sane New World, 2013). In 2003 (Thomas), the estimated total cost of adult depression was 9 billion of which 370 million represents direct treatment costs
Loneliness is defined as a score of 43 or higher on UCLA’s Loneliness Scale. Currently, 61% of Americans have a loneliness score of 43 , compared to 54% in 2018. Throughout this report, where a data point does not include a percent sign (e.g., 45.7, 42.4) it represents a loneliness score from 20-80 on the UCLA Loneliness Scale.
loneliness: network type, household composition and health. KEY WORDS - Isolation, loneliness, model, networks. Background Social isolatio annd loneliness have long been identifie as problemds associated wit olh d ag (Sheldoe n 1948; Halmos 1952). no Althougt h always made explici in tht literaturee , social isolatio to thn refere s
Social isolation and loneliness are separate concepts even though they are often used interchangeably. » Social isolation refers to having few social contacts and relationships (objective measure). » Loneliness is the sense of being alone that includes distress or unpleasant feelings associated with having fewer-than-desired social relationships
Review of the impact of loneliness and social isolation on health and well-being and whether people who experience loneliness/social isolation have higher use of public services . It also suggested that there were other fact
Loneliness – evidence of the effectiveness of interventions . Background . Loneliness, a state of mind, should be distinguished both from social isolation, an external experience of reduced social contact, and from social exclusion, the ways in which society is organised which exacerbate social isolation in a particular group of individuals. .
The Campaign to End Loneliness commissioned the UKRI Loneliness and Social Isolation in Mental Health Research Network, UCL to carry out an extensive scoping review for this report. They examined academic literature, reports from the third sector, and undertook stakeholder consultation to find the psychological factors which contribute
Loneliness and social isolation for older adults have a deep emotional impact, sometimes leading to social disorders such as depression and anxiety. Maybe less well-known is the profound impact loneliness has on physical health. One study found loneliness had similar health effects on older adults as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 1
Social isolation and loneliness have emerged as critical public health issues in recent years. While much of the attention is placed on aging adults and those over 65, social isolation and loneliness impact people at any age. However, despite the increased attention, there is a lack of cons
