Loneliness, Aloneness and Isolation Unpacking socialization and - - PDF document

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Unpacking socialization and mental health

Danny Vadasz

CEO Health Issues Centre

Loneliness, Aloneness and Isolation

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Who are our consumer reps?

67% Women 71% tertiary qualified 60% former health/welfare or education staff 70% retirees 82% over 55

Consumer Leadership training participants

A true participatory model should embrace diversity, the vulnerable and the seldom heard so that they too may influence outcomes

Health Issues Centre Definition

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Consumer driven Outcomes

What is social listening?

The art of finding what you’re not looking for

The application of digital and face-to-face tools that encourage everyday consumers to participate in health conversations, including:

• Social Media
• User generated surveys
• Table talks
• Intercept conversations
• Vox Pops

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How do we apply Social Listening?

45 % 65 % 70 % 35 % 68 %

Searchlight – emerging issues, prevalence and

impact

Stress Testing – policy gaps, unintended outcomes,

market failure

Social Context – generating insight by considering

context

Human Centred Design – solutions to consumer

defined problems

The Eastern Metropolitan Partnership

Loneliness and Aloneness

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Not important A little important I Important Very important Alcohol & other drugs

¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Cancer screening / services ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Diabetes ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Family violence ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Feeling part of the Community ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Healthy living (quit smoking, eating well, exercise) ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Heart health ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Immunisation ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Lung health ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Mental health ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Sexual health and family planning ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Work and study ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡

Gippsland Health Survey “Tell Maria”!

Its not easy growing old

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As I live alone (by choice), keeping up with the heavier garden and house maintenance Tire more easily, can’t do as much as previously- one busy day has a greater

• impact. It is frustrating for me not being able to walk distances and do simple

things like walking the dog

Cognitive

Trying to remember where I parked the car at the supermarket. My memory is not as good as it used to be. I deal with this by making notes.

Emotional

The heartaching loss as friends die. Looking after aging siblings I suffer increasingly from anxiety caused by the knowledge that my future is shrinking

Dealing with decline

Loss of capacity and incremental decline

• decrease in ability to

accomplish day-to-day tasks

Key Findings

“I can no longer take a holiday, or go and visit my family, I can’t even see a movie any more …”

(Older person)

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Maintaining my identity as an individual, not being put into a box as an ‘elderly citizen’.. Being made to feel unesesary or irelevent by younger persons other than family even when at 76 you are in voluntry committee positions Not being listened to. Being dismissed as being irrelevant. Being ignored or treated as a simpleton Being invisible and being talked down to I no longer feel respected and I no longer feel a sense of belonging. I am never invited to fun activities. I am often asked to babysit and help out with others needs which I am grateful for however sometimes I would like to just enjoy a conversation with someone who might respect my opinion.

Loss of identity

Identity

• Impact on personal identity

and emotional wellbeing

Key Findings

“I want to be recognised as an individual with skills and experience that contribute to the life of my community.”

(Older person)

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How do we fit in?

We need doctors that listen that don't rush you out the door. I'm in pain like many others and I'm not heard My local medical centre sometimes but not always makes me feel that I am a generic old lady. I dread losing my independence and having to rely on ‘care workers’ to survive. “When people finally get to see a GP they take a big list with them

• f things to talk about, and the GP only has a few minutes so has to

prioritise on the day”

The Spiral of Decline and Withdrawal

Erosion of self-esteem Incremental physical/cognitive decline Loss of identity Social and clinical withdrawal Isolation and depression Further health decline Health crisis

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Social Connection Have we got it wrong?

Social:

Doing enjoyable things with others Relating to society and its organisation

Activity - socialising v Relevance – the art of reinvention

Tackling Social Isolation

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Thank you

Danny Vadasz CEO d.vadasz@healthissuescentre.org.au

Level 8 255 Bourke Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000 Phone: (03) 9664 9343 Fax: (03) 9663 7955 www.healthissuescentre.org.au info@healthissuescentre.org.au