AGE ACTION ALLIANCE
LONELINESS & ISOLATION WORKING GROUP MEETING 20th June ’17
The meeting hosted by AgeUK, London was opened at 13-30 by the Chair Shelagh Marshall with nine members present. At this time the Chair introduced Jane Hartzig (Community Network) who had kindly volunteered to provide secretarial support to the group.
Shelagh reported that she had spoken to Russell Taylor (DWP Engagement) regarding the AAA administration transfer which had been delayed due to the General Election, Russell had indicated that the new arrangements should be in place by the middle of July.
A presentation by Colin Brown of the Red Cross was withdrawn from the agenda due to his attendance at a Grenfell Tower Emergency Response meeting. Colin has asked that his presentation on the “Trapped in a Bubble†research be scheduled for a future meeting.
It was reported that the Government was actively looking at a Fundraising Preference Service, similar to the existing Telephone Preference Service, enabling people to control communications and requests for fundraising. The group indentified one drawback in that users will have to nominate charities they did not wish to receive correspondence from, actively opting out rather than opting in. (www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk)
Presentation “Combatting Loneliness†by Jill Mortimer (AgeUK)
Jill stated that this was both the best and worse time on this issue as funding continues to be cut across the board and health services are extremely stretched. However, public awareness has never been higher with many responses received by AgeUK, Campaign to End Loneliness and the Jo Cox Commission helping to elevate awareness. Volunteering enquiries had been DOUBLED by the AGEUK “No-one should have no-one†Christmas campaign. The British Red Cross and Co-op recruitment of volunteers in London was oversubscribed within TWO weeks with many younger people signing up. The group discussed the benefits to both older people and the younger generation as loneliness is a problem across all age groups and all levels in society.
AgeUK informed that 119 English MPs were signed up as Age Champions and 59 MPs attended the Parliamentary drop-in for the Jo Cox Commission. Shelagh would write to the Commission asking about opportunities for Older People to have an input into the work of the Commission. (www.jocoxloneliness.org)
The Group discussed ‘Prevention’ versus ‘Crisis Intervention’ and it was agreed that BOTH were essential. It was stated that loneliness cost at least £12k per person in health & care provision. Source – www.socialfinance.org.uk/investing-to-tackle-loneliness-a-discussion-paper We looked at local initiatives in Reading (Champions to end Loneliness), Jersey Post where the postman actively knock on doors to get to know the community and PCSOs & Rescue Services trained to recognise loneliness.
The Chair invited the Group to consider teleconferencing between meetings and the recruitment of a Vice Chair of the group, this would be revisited at a future meeting.
The next meeting of the group to be held on 19th Sept 2017
Peter Frakes (EMLLF)
Janice Cooper, 20th June 2017