There are 1.2 million chronically lonely older people in the UK, many of whom suffer from depression and anxiety which reinforces their isolation.
The Campaign To End Loneliness has received funding from The Big Lottery Fund to evaluate psychological approaches to tackling loneliness, and BACP members are encouraged to contribute to this research.
Honorary BACP member Roz Shafran has been commissioned to conduct a preliminary review of the evidence base of ‘strategies for encouraging psychological and emotional resilience in response to loneliness’.
Roz is chair in Translational Psychology at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and a former chair of BACP’s Research Committee.
The project will identify, map and summarise learning from approaches – including counselling and psychotherapy – which equip individuals with greater psychological and emotional resilience and work directly or indirectly to combat loneliness.
BACP recently interviewed Rose Mulloy, a client of a counselling service in Glasgow, and we heard that improved mental wellbeing as a result of therapy, encouraged her to get out and join clubs and societies, keeping her engaged in her local community.
Please share with us existing service evaluations, case studies or details of services and practitioners whose work has directly or indirectly reduced loneliness.
The draft report is due by May 20. Please send responses ASAP to our senior research fellow Jo Pybis, who will share your contribution with the research team.