Creating social capital how the web is fighting loneliness, keeping older people connected and changing services
Loneliness and isolation ✤ Over 1 million older people in the UK go for a whole month without seeing friends or family ✤ 13% of people over 65 say that they are often or always lonely
48% of older people rely on TV as their main form of company
✤ 49% know more about favourite celebrity, than about their neighbour ✤ In 1982, 60% of our neighbours called round for a regular chat, compared with more than 22% today ✤ We find it much harder to start up a conversation with complete strangers across a range of social settings, just 20% of us find it easy today, compared to 80% in 1982 according to cooperative uk the modern ‘neighbours’
The answer? ✤ We need to connect people with the world around them.
"We need to invent new ways of connecting" Robert Putnam
New ways of connecting? ✤ We need to find new ways of interacting. ✤ We have dating agencies and headhunters, but no easy formats for doing social good.
Can the web help? Granddad thinks so...
Gran doesn’t... but can we help...?
The role of the web networks can help...
networks create communities...
communities give purpose...
Can we impact on care too? ✤ Increasing burden on care services: ✤ Ageing population - life expectancy increasing two years every decade ✤ £6 billion spent on care ✤ and state pension age increasing to 68 by 2046
Limitations... ✤ Small services ✤ Anonymity ✤ Vulnerability ✤ 70% with dementia ✤ Closed off sector
Joggernet (!?) ✤ Relatives want to get in touch ✤ Staff too busy to pass on messages ✤ How can I send a simple message to mum? ✤ us and we'll print it out (in big type!) ✤ deliver it to the care home by hand
Potential (and pitfalls?) ✤ safe ✤ easy ✤ social capital - relationships ✤ community ✤ intergenerational interaction ✤ feedback about the home?
the future ✤ uncertain... ✤ the web can help ✤ online solutions are a tool for the offline 'real' world interactions
Thank you! with thanks to Ivo Gormley