New report to tackle issue of loneliness being drafted for government
A new report outlining recommendations about tackling loneliness across Ireland is being drafted for government.
The Alone organisation is working with Senator Keith Swanick and a group of experts to increase awareness about the problems caused by social isolation.
Alone provides support to elderly people who are homeless, socially isolated, living in deprivation or in crisis.
The Loneliness Taskforce was established to coordinate a response to the issues of loneliness and social deprivation across the country, and is looking for final submissions and suggestions to its report by Monday.
It is made up of a range of people from the community and voluntary sector, nursing, sport, business, medicine, youth work, psychiatry and non-governmental organisations.
Sean Moynihan, the CEO of Alone, established the group with Dr Swanick last month.
He advised people to send in recommendations to Dr Swanick in the Oireachtas, where they will then work to make recommendations taking into account everyone's views "young, old, rural or urban".
According to the taskforce, 1 in 3 older people live on alone and research shows that loneliness can decrease life expectancy by up to 10 years.
