A new service for elderly people who are feeling lonely will launch in Barking & Dagenham and Havering in January, providing support and advice on making new local connections.

Reconnections by Independent Age will be aimed at people aged 65 and over who would like to connect with people or interests in the community.

The locally-run service will be supported by volunteers who will work alongside participants to understand what matters to them, helping them rebuild their confidence to make new friends and rekindle their interests. Reconnections wants to encourage professionals working in health and social care in Barking & Dagenham and Havering to refer older people to the service, which is designed to help reduce feelings of loneliness.

A poll of UK GPs found three quarters of doctors (76%) reported that between one and five patients a day attended their surgery primarily because they were lonely. This means that doctors and other health and social care professionals are in a unique position to help identify older people who may be experiencing feelings of loneliness but don’t know where to go for help.

Reconnections will work with local partners to bring together a network of people who want to support each other. From ten-pin bowling to a meal out; forming a new band; sharing a trip to the cinema or a walk with the dog - everyone enjoys something different and the Reconnections team will help match people to what will be fun for them and help them feel better connected. It can be hard to find that motivation or confidence, so the service offers one-to-one support along the way.

Reconnections by Independent Age will build on the success of the original Reconnections service in Worcestershire. As part of Independent Age’s Innovation strategy to invest in promising approaches, Barking & Dagenham and Havering is the first of two areas where the service will be piloted for two years.

Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Independent Age, the older people’s charity developing Reconnections, said: “Social disconnection can happen to anyone at any stage in life and is a growing problem across Britain. Older people often find it difficult to admit they’re lonely to family and friends, but might be more willing to discuss it with a trusted professional.

“We believe that introducing the Reconnections service will enable us to help even more older people who are experiencing loneliness and isolation, through meaningful, sustained, local engagement that doesn’t just provide companionship, but builds community too.”

The service is supported by local partners: Barking & Dagenham Borough Council; Havering Borough Council; Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge CCGs; and Care City. It will also be working closely with local health and care professionals, charities and community groups.

Professionals in Barking & Dagenham and Havering who would like to make a referral to Reconnections by Independent Age can do so by calling 020 7050 6565.

www.ReconnectionsLocal.org