Ending loneliness
Age-related isolation is a growing issue in today’s fast-moving world. To fix it, we need to open up, reach out and harness the latest technology so older people don’t feel alone
A decade ago, when Laura Alcock-Ferguson began investigating the threat to health posed by loneliness in older age, some were dubious. But social isolation can be as injurious to wellbeing as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and increases the likelihood of mortality by 26 per cent. Today, thanks to Alcock-Ferguson’s work as executive director of the Campaign to End Loneliness, it is widely recognised as a growing global problem that must be urgently addressed. Here, she tells us more about the challenges at hand, and how technology is both partially causing the problem and creating innovative solutions to it.
‘Loneliness isn’t a new phenomenon, but it’s growing at an alarming rate in modern society. Currently, nine million people in the UK are affected by isolation and 1.4 million of those are over the age of 50 – a doubling of the figures in a decade. There are a number of complex factors that can contribute to a person lacking social interaction and feeling lonely, but it’s widely accepted that families living further apart, and people spending more time at work and moving more frequently have all intensely exacerbated the issue.
It can be hard to admit that we’re lonely, but, the truth is, we’re all at risk of loneliness. The biggest problem is that it’s difficult for others to spot, because it’s an incredibly personal and subjective thing. No one can tell with certainty whether someone is truly lonely – the only way to be sure is if that individual expresses how they feel. However, if they don’t talk about their loneliness, it can sometimes be impossible to detect. That’s why the first step in addressing the issue of social isolation is to let people know it’s OK to be open about their feelings and seek help when they need it.
Research has shown there are occasions in life when people are at higher risk of loneliness than others, and these are often times of change. These can be both positive changes, such as starting a new job or moving house, and negative changes, such as bereavement. The most vulnerable periods are the late teens and early twenties, and later life, after the age of 55. At both points, changes happen to us in quick succession. But the big difference between the two is that, in the earlier years, there’s still time for life to transform for the better, whereas in the later years, chronic loneliness can set in more easily. That’s not to say that later life isn’t to be celebrated – there’s a lot of evidence that some people are the happiest they’ve ever been when they reach that age. Nevertheless, we have to acknowledge that a significant number of people in this country are chronically lonely. Long-term loneliness is a harrowing issue for this category of the population.
To tackle the wider issue of loneliness will require societal, cultural, structural and mindset change from every single one of us. As we go through transformations in life, it’s essential to maintain our convoy of friends, family and contacts. Many of us are guilty of becoming so involved in our work in our 30s and 40s that we lose contact with loved ones – people we used to see regularly just drop off the radar. Having children can also affect us, because our free time seems to disappear. It’s really important, therefore, that we’re more mindful of potential loneliness – both our own and others. We all have an essential role to play in maintaining our current connections, so we can keep our friendships going and enjoy all the benefits of those relationships in the future. But we can’t simply focus on ourselves; there are wider societal and cultural factors that come into play, too.
One massive shift in society that’s already making our campaign more effective is how the mental-health movement is empowering more people to speak up about their problems. There used to be a big taboo surrounding psychological issues, but, recently, it’s become much more acceptable to talk about them in both the private and public spheres. That said, there’s still a way to go to fully support people with mental ill health – long-term chronic illness and more extreme issues are still being regularly shied away from.
Increasing the interaction between a wider range of people is definitely part of the solution, but managing the quality of this interaction, as opposed to just the quantity, is also a big part of our work. We need to help people spend more time with those they want to spend time with – not just anybody. On the other hand, it’s also vital to help them manage their emotions and their physiological state. Being aware of how much time we want with certain individuals and why we need it is important. The Campaign to End Loneliness is developing new messaging about desired contact – we hope this will help people be more comfortable with their levels of loneliness.
Big data and computer technologies offer us a number of exciting new tools to help measure, plot and identify the extent of loneliness in society, and have also helped us share our work. The Research Hub on our website engages academics and specialists from across the world. With these partners, we work to make new research as relevant and practical as possible for organisations that are working to support older people or are making commissioning decisions. Technology is also a key way to communicate our message to the wider public – Our Be More Us launch video has had more than 100 million views worldwide and was one of the most-viewed UK charity videos of 2018.
An interesting field of technological development is companion robots and AI. These are solutions that aim to imitate human contact for people who are lonely. I’ve had contact with a number of companies that have created robot technology, and what they’re offering is an interesting departure from traditional solutions to help combat isolation. However, it’s very early days in terms of its implementation and it’s important to bear in mind that any new initiative needs time to demonstrate that it can create real change. Technology seems destined to develop in these ways, but we need to make sure those who are delivering it are as forward-thinking and insightful about the positive consequences as they are about the negative ones. Part of my job involves talking to these tech companies so they don’t forget the part they can play in combating loneliness.
Connecting through technology will never be able to entirely replace the warmth, compassion, empathy and glow you get looking somebody in the eye when they’re sitting right next to you for real. A proper hug via technology won’t ever be 100-per-cent possible. But the answer as to whether its positives outweigh its negatives needs to be more nuanced than just ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – it depends on in what circumstance and for whom. And it needs to take into consideration how technology can make relationships easier for as many people as possible – not just the section of society that has already heavily adopted it. We need to focus on communicating with each other and creating really meaningful connections, both in the technological world but also in real life.
Whatever new technology is introduced, whether that be video connectivity or robots, one thing is certain: it needs to be widely accessible. That means it must be cheap, effective and easy to use, especially for people over 75. In our society, the elderly are less likely to use the most advanced tech, so keeping that cohort in mind is key. Technology is great, as long as it helps us maintain real relationships – video messaging has been amazingly successful in helping people of all ages keep in contact with loved ones who live further away, for example.
Let’s be honest: technology is here to stay. It’s completely transformed our lives, as well as the way we connect and communicate. In tomorrow’s world, it will play an even bigger role in society and will most definitely have an impact on loneliness in one way or another. Technology companies have a responsibility to watch out for unintended consequences and support real-life connections, not just virtual ones. Bearing in mind how technology is taking up more and more of our contact time with people, despite the fact that we are becoming a more tech-connected community, we need to inspire in the innovators of new tech a responsibility to keep us human.
I get worried when technology is sold as a panacea, because it’s not. When used appropriately and with full awareness of what the consequences may be, it has enormous potential to bring meaningful connections into someone’s life – connections that wouldn’t necessarily otherwise exist. However, it won’t ever replace the need for human proximity. There’s something primordial about our need for warmth and face-to-face contact. Technology will only ever be an aid, rather than a substitute.