Addressing Social Isolation among Older People: Lessons from Talk, Eat, Drink (TED) East Lindsey
A team of researchers from Lincoln International Business School have evaluated a range of interventions aimed at supporting older people in a rural location. Talk, Eat, Drink (TED) East Lindsey has been funded through the National Community Lottery Fund’s Ageing Better programme to test effective ways to combat isolation and loneliness among those aged 50 and over. The team, which included Liz Price, Jennifer Jackson, Rebecca Herron, and consultants Rose Regeneration, conducted a two-year formative evaluation of the project which also sought to measure its social value.
Loneliness is fast becoming one of the UK’s largest public health challenges, with research showing that a lack of social connections can increase the likelihood of an early death by 26%. The seven-year Ageing Better programme was introduced in 2015 to help support people over 50 who were experiencing or at risk of social isolation. Lincolnshire YMCA along with partners from East Lindsey district and across Lincolnshire, were awarded funding to implement Talk, Eat, Drink (TED) in East Lindsey.
The project was delivered using a partnership approach, working with local partners to build a referrals process and target support to those with greatest need. Activities commissioned through TED included a befriending service, delivery of various group activities, an Age-friendly Business scheme and support for existing Friendship Groups. A ’test and learn’ approach provided flexibility to commission new activities and enabled older people to have their say in the design of activities or take part as a volunteer.
The University of Lincoln team evaluated TED interventions during the final two years of the project, using a series of interviews and focus groups with participants, and a survey of Age-friendly Businesses. They found that group activities commissioned through TED were innovative in the diversity of activities offered, such as fitness, cooking and digital skills, and also their focus on specific demographic groups. Examples included group activities focusing specifically on men, shown to be less inclined so socialise, as well as carers. The ‘test and learn’ approach enabled the TED delivery team to bring in new partners in response to the emerging needs of participants, and also to change the form of delivery during Covid-19 lockdowns.
The project showed a strong contribution to community capacity, through support to Friendship Groups and the expansion of befriending services. The creation of an Age-friendly Business Scheme to accredit businesses that provide a welcoming environment for older people was a core element of creating an age-friendly culture in East Lindsey. Lessons from the experience of TED East Lindsey has since been developed into an Age-friendly Business Toolkit which has been shared with other regions. The project made a strong social return on investment, with £5.52 of social value generated for each £1 invested.
More Information:
To find out more about this project, please visit: https://tedineastlindsey.co.uk/
Find our more about the people involved in this project:
Jessica Sellick
Ivan Annibal