Want to tackle loneliness? Invest in a society of readers

an article by Caitlin Lambert for DEMOS

Last month saw the publication of the Government’s first loneliness strategy, following the appointment of Tracey Crouch as the world’s first ever minister for loneliness.

The Government is right to be concerned. New figures from Demos published last week make for a worrying read. We estimate that by 2030 the loneliness epidemic will reach 7 million lonely people in the over 60 age group alone, with 2 million of those likely to see their lifespans shortened by loneliness.

This is a major concern for public health and threatens to be one of the most pervasive issues of our time. On the current trajectory, loneliness among older people will cost almost £2 billion by 2030. With an overstretched NHS and a social care system in crisis, loneliness is an issue we simply cannot afford to ignore.

But how do we go about tackling such a problem? Well reading may just be part of the solution. Demos’ new report A Society of Readers sets out the important role reading can play in alleviating loneliness.

In our increasingly atomised and individualised society, reading can provide an important outlet for fostering social connections and building new relationships, particularly for the elderly. The Reading Agency’s Reading Friends programme for example, connects vulnerable and socially isolated older people with volunteers to discuss reading. Piloted across the country is has already had remarkable results, with 88 per cent of participants appreciating the increased social contact from reading-inspired conversation.

Continue reading

---