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General overview

Stage of development: Complete

Policy sector: Health

Date outcomes contract signed: Oct 2015

Start date of service provision: Jul 2015

Anticipated completion date: Jan 2022

Actual completion date: Jun 2022

Capital raised (minimum): GBP 850k (USD 1.30m)

Service users: 1k+ individuals

Intervention

The SIB provides one-to-one tailored support for lonely older people who co-develop an action plan to establish ways in which they can (re)connect with a variety of local support networks. The SIB facilitates this access to services to link individuals with their communities, with activities including: a befriending service to link volunteer ‘friends’ with beneficiaries, links into self-help groups (which contain people of similar age and who are experiencing similar issues), signposting to existing support activities taking place in the local community linked to economic, health, social care and emotional support services. A volunteer based locally works with each beneficiary to help them achieve the actions in their plan and help individuals maintain their connections with activities in the longer term.

Target population

Individuals who are over 50 and score: between eight and 12 on the loneliness scale; or seven on the scale and also demonstrate at least five of the enhanced risk factors including living alone, being single, divorced, never married and living on a low income.

Location

Country

  • United Kingdom

Service delivery locations

  • Worcestershire, West Midlands

Outcome metrics

  • Metric 1: Average reduction in participant's R-UCLA point score at six months (by between 0.83 and 0.55 points). Comparison to initial score on the loneliness scale R-UCLA.
  • Metric 2: Average UCLA points reduction (between 1.02 and 1.39 points) sustained at 6 months.
  • Metric 3: Reduction in participant's R-UCLA point score at eighteen months (by between 0.83 and 0.55 points). Comparison to initial score on the loneliness scale R-UCLA.

Results

Outcome achievements

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