Loneliness ‘as damaging to Scots health as poverty and poor housing’, MSPs told

The equal opportunities committee yesterday launched its report on the extent and impact of social isolation on older and younger people living in Scotland.

The committee’s report calls on the Scottish Government to:

The committee’s inquiry, commenced at the beginning of this year heard views from young and older people experiencing loneliness, and the organisations working to support them.

Alison Love of the Royal Voluntary Service told the committee of older people supported by the organisation presenting to the GPs every Monday because “they have no-one else for company”. While Natalie McFadyen White of community charity Impact Arts described a member who, “prior to coming to us, would just sit on the bus all day and travel around the city, because that was all he had to do with his day and it was free with his bus pass”.

Stephen McLellan, chief executive of Recovery Across Mental Health (RAMH), based in Paisley, described the case of a woman who did not ask for help, and was reduced to living without power for six months, subsisting on sandwiches scavenged from a skip. She only came to the attention of support services after a neighbour noticed movement in her home although lights were never on.

Anela Anwar of Roshni, an organisation that works extensively with minority ethnic communities felt that whilst social media has a part to play, “we sometimes lose connections rather than build them”. And “young people can forget what it is like to be in the company of other young people.”

Margaret McCulloch MSP, convener of the equal opportunities committee, said: “The report highlights the stigma people currently face, and how difficult it is to admit to loneliness. Whatever your age, it is unacceptable to feel you cannot seek help. The health impact in Scotland is too great. But currently a lack of awareness of the impact of isolation allows it to be ignored.”

Ms McCulloch added: “For older people we heard there are proven links between loneliness and dementia rates. We also heard of malnutrition amongst older people affected by loneliness. For younger people we were told the early effects of bullying and a lack of social inclusion can lead to isolation, in particular for disabled and LGBT young people and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. This can have long term effects on their lives.”

“Social isolation and loneliness is a considerable problem in Scotland and individual citizens, public services and the Scottish Government must take collective responsibility to tackle the situation.”