Feeling lonely?

It is normal to feel lonely occasionally. Most people have felt lonely at some point in their lives, and there are many different reasons it can happen. But if you are feeling lonely most or all of the time, it can start to affect both your mental and physical wellbeing. It is thought that long-term loneliness can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and can increase the risk of developing a variety of health conditions including depression and anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease and dementia.

This guide is for you if you are feeling lonely and would like to be more connected to the people and communities around you. It may also be useful if you are concerned about an older person being lonely, and want to offer help but are unsure how to begin.  It explains some of the common causes of loneliness, and  provides practical advice about building more, and more fulfilling, social connection.