Aims Third Week of Activities Combatting Solitude, Initiated by Prien - Launches Third Week of Campaign Targeting Solitude
Article:
In continuation of the federal government's efforts to combat loneliness, especially among older adults in Germany, Karin Prien, the Minister, is spearheading the third Action Week Against Loneliness. This week aims to build upon the previous government's multi-faceted strategy, which has targeted projects, network-building, scientific research, and a broad strategy encompassing over a hundred measures.
A survey conducted by Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) in December revealed that 58 percent of Germans, irrespective of age, experience feelings of loneliness. The young generation seems to be the most affected. The federal government, earlier, had implemented a strategy to counter loneliness, which Prien is working to carry forward.
The Action Week will function as a high-profile event, delivering awareness, facilitating dialogue, and fostering community engagement in the battle against loneliness. This week will showcase funded projects and best practices, thereby encouraging local and national participation.
The federal strategy against loneliness, adopted at the end of 2023, comprises 111 specific measures organized under five objectives. The primary aim is to bolster social connectedness and social interaction across society to prevent and alleviate feelings of loneliness.
The Ministry currently backs numerous projects addressing loneliness in older people, such as over 70 projects under the European Social Fund (ESF Plus) programme. Since late 2021, funding has additionally supported the Kompetenznetz Einsamkeit (KNE, Loneliness Network Germany), which extends the focus to all age groups and researches the causes and consequences of loneliness while promoting knowledge exchange on prevention and intervention.
Since the summer of 2022, the Ministry, in partnership with the Loneliness Network, has been devising a comprehensive "Strategy to counter loneliness." This strategy aims to present loneliness as a multi-generational issue from political and scientific standpoints.
In essence, the Action Week Against Loneliness serves as a platform to amplify the federal government's long-term, multi-dimensional approach, which includes funding projects, building networks, conducting research, and implementing a far-reaching strategy. The focus remains on strengthening social bonds and minimizing loneliness, with a strong emphasis on older adults, but with an inclusivity towards all generations.
- The federal government's strategy to combat loneliness, especially among older adults, involves not only funding projects and building networks but also supporting scientific research, particularly through the Kompetenznetz Einsamkeit (KNE, Loneliness Network Germany).
- As part of the effort to present loneliness as a multi-generational issue, the Ministry is developing a comprehensive "Strategy to counter loneliness," which aims to address employment policies within the health-and-wellness and mental-health sectors to create a more connected community.
