WITH temperatures dropping and winter fast approaching, Jersey’s director of public health has warned of a risk of social isolation as Islanders spend more time indoors.
Professor Peter Bradley said his department was encouraging people to check in on their loved ones in a bid to combat loneliness.
Meanwhile, older Islanders who usually eat alone have been invited to enjoy a lunch at Lakeside Manor.
The Don’t Dine Alone initiative has been launched by Barchester Healthcare at its 200 care homes across the British Isles, which include its facility in St Peter.
Rosie Goulding, general manager, said: “Loneliness can be a big problem for elderly people, especially as the weather gets colder. Our doors are always open to new friends of the home.”
Prof Bradley said: “If we see a dip in temperature, that can be a risk to health for those people who are older or who have other clinical conditions.
“It also impacts people’s social activity. To avoid social isolation in the winter, we’re encouraging people to go out and meet others.
“It’s very much about encouraging people to be aware of those who can be socially isolated and highlighting the importance of friends and family,” he explained.
Mind Jersey executive director Patricia Tumelty said loneliness could be heightened during wet and dark weather, when people had less opportunity to go out and meet friends.
She said daily mental-health ‘drop-in’ cafés, which the charity has been hosting for almost a year, provided both an opportunity for people to socialise and a touch point for people with questions about mental-health services.
“We find a lot of people enjoy doing a jigsaw together,” she said, adding that regular attendees often became peer-support volunteers at the cafés.
The charity hosts groups for over-65s and new parents, with these demographics having been found in its research to be particularly badly affected by loneliness.
“In our Stories from Lockdown research, of the 500 responses we got, more than half were from people over 65,” Dr Tumelty said.
“Some chose to phone us. So many of them just wanted to have a chat.”
Each Thursday next month, as part of Men’s Health Month, The Harbour Gallery will offer space for men to learn new skills, make friends and improve their mental wellbeing to try to help combat social isolation and foster a sense of community.
The sessions, which will take place at the gallery’s new location at Commercial Buildings, include a range of activities from cooking and chess to photography and a Lego challenge.
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Anyone interested in visiting Lakeside Manor should call the home on 748050.
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Mind Jersey’s mental-health drop-in cafés run on weekdays from 10am-4pm next to the Town Hall on Seale Street.
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Events at the Harbour Gallery are priced at £10 per session or £40 for five sessions, which includes a drink and a fun activity each week. Places can be booked by emailing info@theharbourgalleryjersey.com or calling 743044.
