Reimagining Loneliness: Issues in Research, Policy and Practice

Our final seminar of the series will focus on loneliness from research, policy and practice perspectives and how our speakers' work uncovers loneliness where we might not expect to find it.

In the morning we will consider the complex relationships between research and practice in designing, developing and evaluating programmes to address loneliness amongst older people. In the afternoon session we will explore loneliness in sheltered housing, accommodation and within the digital world and the apparently infinite opportunities for social contact this seems to offer.

Programme

10.00am         Registration and coffee/tea

10.30am         Welcome and Introductions

                       Professor Christina Victor, Vice Dean - Research, College of Health & Life Sciences, Brunel University London

10.45am         Age UK’s Testing Promising Approaches to Reducing Loneliness Programme

• • • • Kirsty Gaskell-Sinclair, Age UK Principal Programme Manager, Development and Support Team
      • David Richardson, Age UK Programme Manager, Innovations and Programmes
      • Vinal Karania, Age UK Research Manager (Evaluation and Impact)

 11.40am        Costing Loneliness and Its Solutions: Methods and Practical Applications

• • • • Sophie Pryce, Reconnections Project Manager, Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire
      • Marie-Alphie Dallest, Analyst, Social Finance
      • David McDaid, Associate Professorial Research Fellow in Health Policy and Health Economics at the Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics

12.35pm         Q & A

1.00pm           Lunch

2pm                Loneliness in the Digital Age: Creative Strategies and Digital Technology

                       Professor Mike Wilson, Professor of Drama, School of the Arts, English and Drama, Loughborough University

2.45pm          Preventing Isolation and Loneliness in Retirement Housing

                      Dr Anne Gray, former Visiting Scholar, Weeks Centre for Social & Policy Research, London South Bank University 

3.30pm         Q & A

3.50pm         Conclusions

4.00pm         End of Seminar