I’m Tom Long, a resident at Box Tree Court. I’ve been involved with organisations and charities whose primary aim has been to reduce loneliness and social isolation amongst older people for many years. During this time, I’ve met countless individuals whose quality of life has been profoundly affected. Not just by illness or disability, but by loneliness.
This week marks Loneliness Awareness Week, and it seems an appropriate moment to reflect on what loneliness means, why it matters, and what we can do as a community to help prevent it.
Loneliness is often misunderstood. It’s not simply about being alone – many people live alone quite happily. Loneliness is the feeling of being disconnected, excluded, or forgotten. It can exist even when surrounded by other people.
One of the great strengths of Housing 21 is that loneliness and social wellbeing have never been viewed as someone else’s responsibility.
Across many schemes, Housing 21 employees, residents and volunteers work tirelessly to create welcoming communities where people can build and maintain friendships, participate in activities, and continue to feel valued.
At Box Tree Court we are fortunate to see many examples of this in action.
We regularly welcome visitors from the local community into our scheme from the SEND Community visits which provide opportunities for residents and visitors to meet, to local schools who visit the scheme through organised activities, conversations with residents, or musical performances – school choirs and singing groups bring tremendous enjoyment!
These visits create important connections between generations, but they also do something far more important. They help younger people understand and appreciate the older generations, whilst reminding residents that they remain an active and valued part of the community.
Across Housing 21 there are countless examples of similar initiatives; coffee mornings, social events, exercise groups, resident meetings, community partnerships, volunteer activities, and informal neighbourly support. These all help create the sense of belonging that is so important to wellbeing.
However, Loneliness Awareness Week should not simply be a time for celebrating what we already do well.
It should also challenge us to ask whether there is more we could do.
The reality is that loneliness can still exist behind closed doors, even within the most vibrant communities. There may be residents who rarely attend activities, who are reluctant to ask for help, or who have gradually withdrawn from social contact.
Perhaps the greatest challenge for all of us is to notice those people and to reach out.
Loneliness is not solved solely through policies, strategies or organised events. Often it is reduced by simple acts of kindness:
- A knock on a neighbour’s door
- An invitation for a coffee
- A brief conversation in the corridor
- A friendly smile
- A willingness to listen
These small actions may seem insignificant, yet they can make an enormous difference to someone’s day and, in some cases, to their life.
As we mark Loneliness Awareness Week, I would like to thank the staff, residents, volunteers and community groups who already contribute so much to making Housing 21 communities welcoming and supportive places to live. I hope we can all use this week as an opportunity to look around us, to think about those who may be struggling quietly and to ask ourselves a simple question:
“Is there one person whose day I could make a little brighter today?”
If each of us answered that question positively, the collective impact across Housing 21 would be enormous.
Loneliness is everyone’s concern.
Equally, friendship, community and belonging are opportunities for all of us to create together.
Tom Long – Resident at Box Tree Court