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WGPlus (Archive)
| Life is what you make of it mostly |
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We shouldn’t fear a lonely old age because loneliness is far from inevitable, according to a study funded by the ESRC. Using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), Professor Christina Victor’s research suggests only 10% of people over 50 complain of significant loneliness – a figure which has remained unchanged since the 1940s. “One of the major stereotypes prevalent in our society is that old age is almost guaranteed to be a time of loneliness,” suggests Professor Victor, from Brunel University London. “Interestingly our findings indicate this ‘lonely’ group is made up of three distinct sub-groups. “For half of them loneliness appears to have been established for at least ten years and is, we suspect, possibly a lifelong experience. Then we have ‘lonely’ people who are moving into loneliness (possibly due to a bereavement) and those moving out of loneliness (perhaps because they have adjusted to changed circumstances). Crucially, lonely people are not a heterogeneous group.” … “One of our most interesting findings is that expectations of loneliness are strongly associated with loneliness outcomes,” she explains. “In other words, loneliness is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy: those who believed that loneliness was a normal part of ageing, were more likely experience loneliness as they grew older.” And while pets do not necessarily protect against loneliness, strong social networks certainly do. |
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ESRC: Fears of loneliness in old age are largely unfounded NICE guidelines for promoting independence & mental wellbeing for older people Age UK: Loneliness among older men with poor health a growing problem How arts & cultural projects are proving life doesn’t end when Dementia begins £9.5m to design new solutions for the UK’s ageing population Funding to pilot new way of supporting Suffolk's rural groups BHF: Study links loneliness and heart disease LGA: Councils respond to report on loneliness & isolation Homeshare opens new doors to independent living for older & younger people NICE: Membership of social groups after retirement ‘boosts health & wellbeing’ New research finds arts and culture helps combat loneliness among old people Sporting memories charity kicks off new year with vital funding LGA: Councils & charities find innovative ways to tackle loneliness this Christmas Britain must do more to tackle ‘virus of social isolation’ says EHRC Most people in the UK are less lonely – apart from men with low qualifications Breaking the mould of loneliness – Paula Bee 1,400 digital champions to bring the benefits of being online to thousands NICE: New advice on mental wellbeing of older people in care homes marks bold step forward Kris Hopkins sees cutting edge homes for older people in Milton Keynes Advocacy champions older people affected by cancer Compassion & empowerment for older people in England |
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