Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly; Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler; Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton; and the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Breda Smyth, have announced a new multi-media campaign aimed at combatting loneliness and isolation among older people.
Entitled Hello Again World, the campaign has been created to address the growing problem of loneliness. The issue has been exacerbated by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as many older people have not re-established their social connections since they were asked to cocoon for their safety.
Loneliness has a significant impact on physical and mental health and is linked to multiple chronic health conditions. Supported by Healthy Ireland, the Hello Again World campaign aims to empower and motivate older people to do something positive for their health by re-engaging with their communities and increasing their social connections.
“Reconnecting with others is so important for overall health and wellbeing," said Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly. "I know that older people, in particular, paid a high price during the pandemic as they were the first group that were asked to cocoon. Understandably, they may feel nervous about re-engaging socially but it’s a very positive step for health as it helps combat loneliness.
“Communities around the country offer so many wonderful activities for older people and I’ve experienced first-hand the vibrant atmosphere that helps promote positive ageing. I’m encouraging them to make a healthy decision and reconnect with the world around them.”
Minister for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler added: “This campaign is especially aimed at older members of our society, who may have found themselves at a great risk of loneliness and isolation over the past couple of years. They don’t have to continue feeling lonely, as there are so many opportunities to connect with others in communities around the country.
“We can all play our part in helping older people to feel more connected and encouraging them to get involved in enjoyable activities that help promote good health.”
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton, stressed that loneliness and isolation can affect people of all ages and from all walks of life. "The negative impact on physical and mental health should not be under-estimated," she added. "Equally, the positive effect of social connections needs to be appreciated, so we can all help spread the message that engaging with your community is the best thing you can do for your health today.”
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Breda Smyth, advised: “There are many behaviours that impact on the health challenges we face, and in taking steps to reduce loneliness we can help make a big difference to our physical and mental health and reduce our risk of chronic conditions.
“Socialising is good for us, and I’d like to reassure people that it is safe to do so while taking sensible precautions. If you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and take normal sensible precautions, you can be assured that you have a high level of protection, so you can safely enjoy social occasions and activities in your local community.”
CEO of ALONE, Sean Moynihan, commented: “While we welcome the renewed focus on this issue, the issue of loneliness requires significantly more than saying ‘hello again’ in order to alleviate the health problems that it causes. We would urge the Department to engage with ALONE and the members of the Loneliness Taskforce so that we can work together towards resolving this challenge in a meaningful way.”
ALONE has worked at the forefront of loneliness for a significant number of years, including as a founding member of the Loneliness Taskforce. In October, research funded by the Health Research Board and ALONE, hosted by Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN ), showed that ALONE’s support and befriending services for older people can reduce health decline and suppress the negative impacts of loneliness on health.
"ALONE is currently looking for volunteers nationwide to provide support and befriending and help to alleviate loneliness among older people. Anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer with ALONE can visit www.alone.ie/volunteer for more details. We encourage any older person who is feeling lonely or isolated to call 0818 222 024."
