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David MawsonRepairs and maintenance teams have a key role to play in tackling loneliness
Contractor Kier and consortium Erosh are producing a housing sector guide to tackling social isolation and loneliness. David Mawson explains more
Sadly, the fact that loneliness and social isolation are a real issue in this country will – for most of us – come as no surprise.
The Office for National Statistics has labelled Britain the loneliness capital of Europe. Meanwhile, Theresa May has badged loneliness “a sad reality of modern life”, appointing Tracey Crouch as loneliness minister to lead the government’s response.
The seriousness of social isolation cannot be underestimated.
Over the Easter weekend, a helpline supporting lonely and isolated older people received more than a call a minute and a study by the London School of Economics (LSE) estimates issues relating to this epidemic cost the UK’s health and local services £6,000 per person.
It all makes for gloomy reading but there is a glimmer of hope, with a growing body of evidence suggesting that the housing industry – and housing providers – can play a critical role in tackling the issue.
“Repairs and maintenance teams can be the only human interaction some residents get in any given day or week.”
The question, of course, is how?
Given the scale of the problem, we have found there is a surprising lack of practical guidance for service providers and those who work on a day-to-day basis with older and vulnerable people.
We are working with Erosh, the national consortium for older people’s housing and support, to address this gap and support the production of a good practice guide for the sector.
Due to launch next month, the guide will not only offer useful definitions and policy context for housing providers and those that work with older people, it will also provide critical insight into suitable interventions, best practice case studies, and valuable resources that are on offer.
For housing maintenance contractors, it cannot come a moment too soon.
Repairs and maintenance teams can be the only human interaction some residents get in any given day or week and yet all too often they are ill-equipped to recognise and respond to signs of loneliness and isolation.
This must change – we are not just contractors, we are partners who care.
I fundamentally believe that our people are our best asset and they choose to work in this sector because they want to make a difference to people’s lives.
We are supporting this process by providing our teams with the training and skills they need from their induction.
This means they are equipped to recognise the signs of isolation and loneliness, and signpost referrals, but also understand the wider impact these issues can have. Those that are socially isolated, for example, are 1.8 times more likely to visit their GP and 1.6 times more likely to visit A&E, according to non-profit organisation Social Finance.
For me, there are three core elements that should form the basis for any maintenance contractor’s engagement – understand, identify, and respond.
“Teams can learn about, and look out for, tell-tale signs such as increased drinking or smoking, or changes to eating habits.”
Understanding the types of people that are likely to be socially isolated or lonely is a critical first step. There are a range of factors that can have an impact – from personal circumstances such as financial difficulties, to living alone, a recent trauma or change in life circumstances.
Even gender and ethnicity can make a difference, with higher levels of isolation in older men, and ethnic minorities.
The second challenge is accurately identifying there is a problem. The long-standing nature of maintenance contracts means that teams establish a rapport with tenants and are well placed to spot changes in behaviour.
Teams can learn about, and look out for, tell-tale signs such as increased drinking or smoking or changes to eating habits. They can also adopt appropriate behaviours.
Treating someone with kindness and asking questions, such as how often they see friends and family, or what they enjoy doing is far more likely to reveal insights than directly asking if they are lonely.
Then finally, there’s the issue of signposting and intervention. Here, clear and open lines of communication between all parties are key.
“The long-standing nature of maintenance contracts means that teams establish a rapport with tenants.”
We cannot tackle these issues alone, it’s about working together, developing customer involvement and engagement strategies, buddying schemes and directories of support services – feeding into a wider network of public services.
Is this really the role of the maintenance contactor in the future? It should be. With Chris White MP recently recommending the Public Services (Social Value Act) should be extended to all public spending and decision-making, I’d urge housing associations and local authorities to leverage greater value from their maintenance contractors in this regard.
With the right skills and training, maintenance teams can be a part of the critical frontline in identifying – and taking the first steps in tackling – the loneliness and isolation epidemic facing this country.
David Mawson, managing director, Kier Housing Maintenance
