AGE UK GLOUCESTERSHIRE has recently published my blog on Loneliness in Later Life. There are two versions (abridged and unabridged ) together with Rob Fountaine's (CEO) excellent and balanced response to the challenges I have made to how we approach loneliness throughout the United Kingdom. I appreciate that Rob was prepared to publish what is, in fact, a narrative that is not an easy read for many presently engaged in the Loneliness Industry.
Not surprisingly this provocative blog has received mixed reviews and it could be argued it reflects "Merv Unleashed" and is therefore not for the faint-hearted. It pulls no punches but hopefully, it is respectful to all those thousands of people ( voluntary or paid) working within the field of later life loneliness services whether civic or civil. What it does however argue, is that at a strategic and policy level, we have manufactured and manipulated the most basic of human emotions. It reflects too that much is underpinned by Compassionate Ageism leading to the commodification, monetization and exploitation of older adults.
The blog was written and published before the latest report from the Campaign to EndLoneliness " The Psychology of Loneliness- Why it matters and what can do" ( July2020). Their Report I highly recommend and goes some way to address the challenges I have laid down. What remains, however, is the need to view loneliness, and certainly chronic loneliness in later life through the lens of human rights, social justice and anti-ageism. I argue that none of the Tackling Loneliness Strategies of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have acknowledged or grasped this point.
The collected blogs are available on:
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/gloucestershire/about-us/news-views-and-opinions--ceos-blog/loneliness-in-later-life/
