Centre for Policy on Ageing



Loneliness and social isolation amongst older people in mid-Devon — a new initiative
Author(s)	Neil Bathurst, Christine Ward
Journal title	PSIGE Newsletter, no 77, July 2001
Publisher	Psychologists' Special Interest Group in Elderly People - PSIGE, British Psychological Society, July 2001
Pages	pp 37-39
Keywords	Loneliness ; Isolation ; Services ; Projects ; Devon.
Annotation	Mid Devon is a largely rural area, in which the market towns of Tiverton and Crediton are its main centres. This article outlines the work of Upstream Mid-Devon, a charitable organisation begun through the experiences of a general practitioner (GP) who had become aware of the problem of loneliness in his older patients and its effect on their health. The authors report on a pilot survey of older people and organisations establishing the extent to which a proposed outreach service aimed specifically at lonely or isolated people would be meeting a genuine need. The high level of interest in Upstream, and some 10% of respondents identifying themselves as lonely and having mobility problems, has led the project to apply for New Opportunities Funding (Healthy Living Centre Funding). The study also confirms the authors' subjective view that retired people have much to offer the communities in which they live. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-010905212 A
Classmark	DV: TP: I: 3E: 8DE
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.