Humans are social beings…
We all need meaningful connections to thrive. So why is there such a stigma to people admitting that they are lonely? Throughout Action Hampshire’s recent Communities Tackling Loneliness with Transport project, we’ve been learning from our delivery partners and VCSE partners across Hampshire & the Isle of Wight about their desire to reduce loneliness.
Staff and volunteers within the VCSE sector and communities work tirelessly to help people connect and reduce loneliness. However, sometimes when services are offered, people do not always immediately jump at the chance to join a group or accept a service to help reduce their feelings of loneliness. Sometimes they advise that they’re not lonely. Of course, this may be the case for some. Just because someone is alone does not mean that they are lonely.
For others though, who are experiencing loneliness, is it the stigma of loneliness holding them back? Is it hard to admit to feeling lonely? Is it considered a weakness? Embarrassing perhaps that someone doesn’t have meaningful connections in their life? There could be many reasons why somebody may not want to admit feeling lonely or be reluctant to accept any support offered. It differs for every individual and what connections with others would be meaningful for them. The more we talk about how important social connection is for all of us, the more people will recognise when things are not how they want them to be, and not be deterred or embarrassed about saying they’re lonely.
In fact, some people are not deterred. From our loneliness research, some older people are admitting they are lonely. They are telling people. They are shouting it. Shouting to be heard, desperate to connect and willing to accept any help offered. Yet unfortunately, the services aren’t there, or they experience too many barriers to accessing them. Confidence, anxiety, mobility, accessible transport, mental and physical health, caring responsibilities and cost can all be challenges which affect someone’s ability to develop and maintain meaningful social connections. For some, there also seems to be a feeling of inevitably and acceptance, that they feel lonely and no hope of the situation changing. There is seen by some as an expected state of being older in the UK.
There are many fantastic projects and initiatives happening across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to tackle loneliness and help people connect with others. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be featuring some of these projects and learning how they are helping reduce loneliness and how they are measuring their impact. We will be exploring the challenges faced by organisations including funding and the the temporary nature of some of the projects. A temporary project can kick-start someone making social connections and building their confidence, but it can also exacerbate loneliness when a service ends. Or the fear of a service coming to an end can have a real negative impact on someone who is relying on the service and anxious about losing it. This may reduce the benefit the project can bring due to the worry of it ending.
The support from which people will benefit will differ across individuals. Some people will need those opportunities to connect with others while others will require support with transport, confidence, communication or financial assistance. People with additional challenges will have a greater need. As we approach World Mental Health Day, connecting with those around you and far away could make a significant difference in someone’s day.
Is there someone who could benefit from you reaching out?…
Could you benefit from connecting with someone? It can be difficult for someone to admit to being lonely and having the courage to reach out to others. It is often easier for someone to connect with someone who is feeling lonely than for the lonely person themselves to initiate contact and conversation. This can be very hard to do, especially if they have other challenges and their confidence and mental health have been negatively impacted by their situation. So let’s keep talking about how we can keep ourselves well, connect with others and improve our mental health.
Follow this link for more information about Communities Tackling Loneliness with Transport or email claire.vincent@actionhampshire.org
