Women’s Age Lab releases recommendations to tackle this public health issue: an urgent call to action
TORONTO, March 5, 2023 – The loneliness epidemic is rapidly spreading across Canada, particularly affecting older adults and vulnerable populations. Shockingly, more than a third of older Canadians in 2023 report to feeling lonely, with the profound impacts on health and well-being becoming increasingly evident. A new report authored by Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital (WCH) on tackling loneliness among older adults in Canada launched today, providing recommendations for urgent action.
While other nations globally are recognizing the magnitude of this problem, recognizing the importance of social connections, and taking action to address loneliness, Canada is falling behind. According to the Commonwealth Fund’s 2021 survey of older adults, Canada ranked as the loneliest among 11 developed nations. The lack of a comprehensive national policy framework in place to strengthen social connections presents a major gap, leaving older adults and vulnerable populations, such as immigrant and Indigenous communities, at risk.
Informed by the expert opinions of the Intersectoral Collaboration on Loneliness, a unique group of over a dozen institutions across regional, provincial, and national levels, the “Recommendations for action to tackle the loneliness epidemic among older adults in Canada” report addresses this public health issue and provides recommendations for urgent action.
“These recommendations address the pressing need for a robust public health solution, including awareness campaigns and empowerment initiatives. Now is the time for collective action ” says Dr. Rachel Savage, lead author and WCH scientist.
Tackling loneliness needs to be a strategic priority at all levels of government. These key recommendations provide evidence-based guidance for the federal government to put to action in collaboration with relevant ministries, agencies as well as provincial/territorial and local governments:
- Build a national strategy to combat loneliness and promote social connections.
- Champion the importance of connection through a public awareness campaign.
- Measure loneliness and deepen knowledge through research.
- Expand strategies and increase investments in social infrastructure and interventions.
This policy brief is a collaborative effort, drawing on the expertise of professionals from diverse institutions dedicated to addressing loneliness in various sectors. It is a call to action, urging the Canadian government and communities nationwide to unite in the fight against loneliness and make it a strategic priority.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jordan Benadiba, Manager, Public Affairs, Women’s College Hospital, jordan.benadiba@wchospital.ca
About Women’s Age Lab
Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital is a space for exploration and collaboration on science-driven health and social change, with a mission to improve the lives of older women by transforming care and practice. To our knowledge, it’s the first and only research centre of its kind, and was built upon conversation, learning and engagement with healthcare leaders, researchers, community partners, and most importantly, women. Despite their unique health needs, older women are primarily missing from the picture, and Women’s Age Lab continues to leverage partnerships and collaboration to build an inclusive and equitable community that will improve the lives of older adults everywhere.
About Women’s College Hospital
For more than 100 years Women’s College Hospital (WCH) has been developing revolutionary advances in healthcare. Today, WCH is a world leader in health equity and Canada’s leading academic ambulatory hospital. It focuses on delivering innovative solutions that address Canada’s most pressing issues related to population health, patient experience and system costs. A multidisciplinary research institute, the Women’s College Research Institute (WCRI) is one of only a few hospital-based research institutes worldwide to focus on health equity. WCRI leads innovative, high impact health research that changes practice, changes policy, and changes lives. www.womenscollegehospital.ca