Over what was an incredibly busy time working in collaboration with local schools over the festive Christmas period, I did not share the wonderful creations that were brought to 100's of Care Receivers by hundreds of Children and I thought it was about time I did.
Chrismas is a lonely time for so many people, and with lockdown that was in full flow, the loneliness felt within the community increased tenfold.
So, in true T.E.A style, we reached out to local schools and Heads to support our campaign.
T.E.A hosted a series of small presentations to children, all held via zoom to talk with each and every child about what loneliness is and how we can all play a part in its reduction within our local community.
The children were so inspired, that each and every one of them designed Christmas cards that were then lovingly delivered to individuals living in care homes and those receiving care in their homes.
The smiles that this brought to both the children and those receiving the cards were an absolute pleasure to see and it was wonderful to see so many getting involved in T.E.A's call for action.
Here are just a few of the amazing creations that were lovingly shared. Please take time to read some of the beautiful words that children took time to write.
Each and every card was so carefully made and this one, in particular, made my heart melt
An act of kindness can change a million things and bring love to an incredibly difficult time!
Here are some of the incredible Care Managers accepting the cards proudly for their clients
This campaign was so successful that we will be doing the same again next year!
However, loneliness isn't just felt at Christmas, it happens all year round!
Since Covid-19 reared its nasty self upon us, loneliness and isolation felt amongst our local community has increased tenfold, we are currently awaiting the most recent statistics however what we know is that:
Loneliness and older people
The number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is set to reach two million by 2025/6. This compares to around 1.4 million in 2016/7 – a 49% increase in 10 years [6]
Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone at all [7]
Well over half (59%) of those aged 85 and over and 38% of those aged 75 to 84 live alone [8]
Two fifths all older people (about 3.9 million) say the television is their main company
As highlighted by Let's Talk Loneliness, Feeling lonely is different for everyone
Feelings of loneliness depend on the person. Some people can enjoy being alone, but others may not. You may wonder whether someone you know is lonely if they are often on their own, but it is important not to make assumptions.
Take the time to listen or reflect. Effective listening means giving people time to tell you what really matters to them.
Be aware of those around you. Perhaps you haven’t seen your neighbour or friend for a few days and you may want to put a ‘thinking of you’ card through the letterbox.
Understand that people can feel lonely at different points in life where things change. This can be moving home into a new community, becoming a new parent, starting retirement, experiencing bereavement, or any other life change. These can be unsettling and lead to feelings of loneliness.
Support
You may feel that you cannot put these steps into action and this could be for any reason — that is perfectly fine! Be patient, with yourself or others, as tackling loneliness and the negative emotions that can accompany it can take time. If you feel you would benefit from more support, information is available on the Let’s Talk Loneliness website where there are lots of tools, further advice, and guidance available at your fingers tips!
And don't forget, you and others around you do not need to be alone! Let's all work together to build thriving communities and support one another in the face of loneliness and isolation!
Want to reach out to us at T.E.A Training? Well, we would love to hear from you!
Give us a call today on 07525451450, or email us at emmaarmstrongtraining@gmail.com
Thank
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