Action on social isolation and digital exclusion
The linkage between social connectedness and wellbeing is well established, and study after study – in the UK and overseas – has demonstrated the highly negative impacts on our physical and mental health that social isolation brings.
The pandemic highlighted the stark fact that many older people, especially those with underlying health or mobility problems, can spend long periods of time with little or no social contact: a recent YouGov survey confirmed that care workers (if they have them) are often the only people that their clients speak to for days at a time.
The closure of day centres and libraries, cuts in public transport, poverty, the loss of a partner, family and friends moving away… there can be any number of contributory factors. And many older people are becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of society by increasing digitisation of essential services and communications.
In this Action Area, we will be looking at the positive ways in which these issues can be addressed: sharing ideas, information, news and opinions on tackling the growing disconnect between millions of some of our most vulnerable citizens… and the rest of us.
Get involved
We plan to run surveys and focus groups on this, as well as publish comment, news and research. To contribute towards this work, do please email info@theageactionalliance.org
The Age Action Alliance is supported by
Latest News
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Age-friendly initiative launched in Bournemouth town centre
An age-friendly initiative aims to make Bournemouth town centre more welcoming to older people alongside a microgrant scheme to help businesses make age-friendly improvements.
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Covid’s seismic shock on older people “still felt five years on”
Older people’s health, employment and community connection have failed to recover since the pandemic, our new analysis from The Centre for Ageing Better reveals.
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Online services “making life harder” for third of over 60s
New research by Age UK has revealed that 1 in 3 (31%) over 60s – equivalent to 5.1 million say life is much harder compared to five years ago because the things they want to do are online.
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Alliance of 50 SW organisations launches charitable programme to end loneliness
An alliance of leading organisations from the South West, including a number of AAA members, has launched an ambitious charitable programme to “make loneliness a stranger.”
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Revealed: the disturbing loss of public toilets in London
Age UK London has revealed the extent to which public toilet provision in London has declined over the past decade and is urging local authorities to take action.
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Increased NI contributions will “wipe out” essential services from charities
Age UK says that some essential services which help highly vulnerable older people, and their families and unpaid carers, will be forced to scale down or close.
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New evidence reveals the scale and health impacts of loneliness amongst older people
If we don’t tackle loneliness, by 2034 there will be 1.2 million people over 65 in England who will often feel lonely – with far reaching consequences’ – is the stark warning from Age UK, in a new report.
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Retirement village “Men’s Club” proves a lifeline
A retirement village in Nottinghamshire has created a new lifeline for men dealing with isolation and has boosted mental health in the form of a men’s only “Lads Group”.
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London’s chronic loo shortage leads to new Alliance
United Nations World Toilet Day on 19 November saw the new London Loo Alliance calling for urgent action to address the chronic shortage of public toilets in the capital.
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New “simple use” smartphone for seniors can withstand tough treatment
A new, British-designed smartphone aimed at the seniors’ market from AAA members Easyphones Ltd has brought together the three features that older people themselves have asked for in a phone – simplicity of use, customer support and robust design.
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Could AI play a role in tackling later life loneliness?
AI is already playing a big part in our lives, and the trajectory is only going upwards. So how can the technology improve the lives of older people – particularly those living alone?
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Transport emerges as key issue for older Londoners ahead of Mayoral Election
According to a new Age UK London poll of Londoners aged 50 and above, 50% of respondents identified transport issues as their primary concern and would like to see this as a focus for the new Mayor.
Latest blogs & comments
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TV’s Rose Ayling-Ellis discusses teaching ExtraCare residents BSL
The BBC’s Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks, which recently aired was filmed at ExtraCare Trust’s Hughenden Gardens Retirement Village in High Wycombe. Making the programme not only made a big impact with the residents and the viewing public… but with Rose too.
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In search of a safer Internet for older people
How one retirement living provider, AAA member ExtraCare Charitable Trust, is actively keeping its residents safe by educating their residents on the risks they may face online.
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Now even digital natives struggle to navigate as apps take over
Many older people, as well as those from some other groups, risk being left behind by the relentless move towards a digital world, particularly when it comes to travel. Jenni Scott, Administrator at Leeds Older People’s Forum, maps out the problems – even for some younger people like herself.
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Call for action as shift to digital banking leaves older people feeling deserted
As more and more banks are being lost to the High Street, the Older People’s Advocacy Alliance (OPAAL) is calling for action to prevent the continuing exclusion of older people, writes Jude Atkinson, along with the provision of dedicated community spaces to help older people regain control of their finances.
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Even MPs are despairing about the Government’s response to the nation’s growing digital divide
A Parliamentary report at the back end of June may have slipped your notice. It certainly went unmentioned in the majority of the UK media. The thrust is that, as the rest of the world moves increasingly online, a large swathe of our citizens are being left behind… way behind… and accuses the Government of…
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Public toilets closures: more than just an inconvenience…
All over the UK, public toilets are being closed in order to trim local authority spending. The resultant impact on older people can be significant by reducing their ability to visit town and city centres. But Age UK London is leading the fightback…
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Pride: an age friendly space? A blog written with some help (?) from Chat GPT!
Jessica Duffy, Good Practice Mentor at Leeds Older People’s Forum, has been reflecting upon the work of their LGBTQ+ delivery partner during the Ageing Better programme, and wondering what using Chat GPT can bring to the discussion…
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Why is being neighbourhood friendly being cast as “anti-car”?
Denigrating “low traffic neighbourhoods” in order to portray oneself as “pro car” and so standing up for the average person rather than committing the sin of being “woke”, is yet another example of the socially-divisive politics being played out at the moment that will see the most vulnerable being put at risk, writes Tony Watts…
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No country for older people…?
Am I imagining it, asks Tony Watts OBE, or are older people routinely and systematically being excluded and discriminated against?
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Sounds brilliant: tuning in to age friendly radio
If you’re not already an avid listener, you might want to tune into the great output of The Later Life Audio and Radio Cooperative (LLARC): an award-winning and growing network of older radio show hosts, age-friendly radio stations, voluntary and community sector organisations and academic researchers working on age-related issues.
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How many older people are about to lose their vote?
For reasons best known to the Government, new rules around voter ID will come into force at the May local elections. But where does that leave the two million voters ¬– many of them older people – who don’t have photographic ID? By Tony Watts OBE
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10 reasons to be an age and dementia friendly business
Leeds Older People’s Forum runs the city’s Age and Dementia Friendly business scheme, to which over 90 businesses in the city have already signed up. Here are there top ten reasons why every business should follow suit…in every town and city.