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RSB at the forefront of combating isolation among senior citizens with the SONYA project

An opinion piece published in Le Monde by Dr Petya Puncheva, professor at Rennes School of Business, warns of the urgent need to combat loneliness among the elderly, a major public health issue.

An alarming observation

In eight years, the number of seniors without social ties has increased by 150%: 750,000 French people are in a state of ‘social death’, 2.5 million feel lonely almost every day and more than 3 million never see their families. This isolation has serious consequences: a British study shows that it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and premature death. A Spanish study reveals that 60% of elderly people who feel lonely are at risk of depression, compared to 20% of those who do not feel isolated.

These figures make the fight against loneliness a major public health issue, due to its physical, psychological and economic impacts.

Local rather than national solutions

The forum emphasises that the response cannot come solely from the state: it must be local, led by municipalities. Local authorities must devote more resources and innovate to promote the social integration of senior citizens. Regular home visits are unrealistic in budgetary terms and do not meet the need for interaction. Older people want to be active, share activities and feel useful.

Among the ideas mentioned are:

  • Strengthening non-family connections (between neighbours, local associations).
  • Developing peer support, mutual aid between people with similar experiences.
  • Training home helpers to refer older people to associations, in order to create links and alleviate emotional needs.
  • Facilitating mobility: on-demand transport to access social activities.
  • Supporting access to digital technology, which is essential for finding activities.

Even with reduced mobility, seniors can contribute: speaking at schools, repair workshops, preparing meals for new mothers, or leading health workshops, as is done in Canada and the United States.

SONYA: a European project coordinated by Rennes School of Business

These recommendations are linked to the work of the SONYA project, coordinated by Rennes School of Business as part of Horizon Europe. SONYA aims to improve services for older people in rural areas by strengthening social and solidarity economy organisations. The project highlights the importance of structuring local networks, supporting carers and promoting the social utility of older people.

The objective is to transform these findings into concrete solutions for local areas, drawing on European experiments and partnerships.

Combating isolation means preventing illness, reducing costs and strengthening social cohesion. Through SONYA, Rennes School of Business is helping to make this issue a priority for local authorities.

About the SONYA project

The SONYA project, led by Rennes School of Business as part of Horizon Europe (the European programme for research and innovation), continues to explore innovative solutions in elderly care, particularly in rural areas.

With maximum European funding of €3 million, Rennes School of Business is the first French business school to lead a consortium in this European programme.

At the head of the consortium, the school is fully committed to supporting social and solidarity economy organisations in order to improve social inclusion and innovation in elderly care.

For more details on the SONYA project, please see our article on the launch of the SONYA project.

 

 

[Project funded by the European Union. Grant agreement ID: 101177171

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.]