Isolation & Loneliness: How are people aged 55 and over coping in the ongoing pandemic?

Isolation and Loneliness how are people aged 55 and over coping cover

At the start of 2021, Central & Cecil (C&C) published findings of research by 250 C&C residents to seek their attitudes towards isolation and loneliness.

A year on, they have returned to the same theme finding out if residents have become ‘used’ to the presence of Coivd-19 and developed new coping strategies to stave off isolation and loneliness, or whether the pandemic is continuing to take its toll.

C&C's survey was conducted across December 2021 and January 2022. The objectives were to revisit their isolation and loneliness study, understanding current perceptions of C&C residents and the impact the pandemic (COVID-19) has had in the last 12 months.

Key findings from the report:

30% of residents reported feeling isolated or lonely within the past year. This is a 8% decrease from the 2021 survey, and compares more favorably to the 29% who said they felt isolated or lonely pre-Covid.
However, most of these residents (79%) said their feelings had in fact not improved since last year, with 54% saying they were feeling isolated or lonely more frequently.
The vast majority of residents do have the right support networks around them, with 88% citing friends and family as being critical to this (58% in 2020/21).

The report also includes next steps and key actions to take, further findings, and networks that helped residents to feel less lonely and isolated. The results of this report will C&C and others influence their choices on how they can improve their resident wellbeing.

This new report is also accompanied by a blog by C&C’s Managing Director, Julia Ashley titled: ‘Isolation and loneliness: Feelings continue to intensify another 12 months on’.