The ReWiSil project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, was launched at the German Centre of Gerontology on 1 February 2025. The project is investigating how effectively loneliness in old age can be combated using a specific support service, the Silbernetz telephone hotline.
Berlin/Germany, February 6, 2025 Loneliness arises when existing social relationships do not satisfy the need for security, companionship and respect. Although older people are no more likely to be lonely than younger people, it is much more difficult for them to free themselves from this situation. Numerous studies have shown that chronic loneliness can have a severe impact on health, e.g. through cardiovascular disease. A decline in social activities and political participation has also been observed. High rates of loneliness can therefore pose a considerable problem for public health care and social cohesion as a whole.
The problem has long since reached the political arena. In 2023, the Federal Government, under the leadership of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ), adopted the strategy against loneliness. As early as 2022, the BMFSFJ launched the Loneliness Competence Network (KNE), which deals with the causes and consequences of loneliness and promotes the development and exchange of information on factors that promote and hinder prevention and intervention. The evaluation of the services offered by Silbernetz e.V., which is now also funded by the BMFSFJ, is another important step towards combating loneliness in Germany.
Silbernetz is a prominent example of an initiative to combat loneliness. The network aims to open up ways out of isolation for people aged 60 and over. The service includes anonymous contact, encourages the development of personal relationships and arranges suitable support services in the neighbourhood. The main service offered by Silbernetz is a telephone hotline that enables older, lonely people to talk confidentially.
‘Many older people recognise the feeling of loneliness. Offers such as Silbernetz, the well-known speech hotline for older people, are more in demand than ever. We are now having the positive effects of Silbernetz evaluated by the German Centre for Gerontology. The findings will help us to make our services even better. With the DZA study on the Silbernetz hotline, the strategy against loneliness continues to grow at the beginning of this year. I am very pleased about this, because loneliness is one of the most pressing issues of our time.’ (Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus)
‘I am always amazed at the closeness that this one-dimensional medium of the telephone allows and opens up. The anonymity opens up a protected space in which it is possible to talk about things that are not possible in person. ‘Knowing that I can call you, that someone is listening, sharing the moment with me, answering me, gives me back the feeling of belonging, of being a person,’ said a caller who has been living alone for a long time and can no longer leave her four walls independently.’ (Elke Schilling, Silbernetz e.V.)
The ReWiSil project:
The evaluation project to improve the social participation of older people ReWisil (short for reach and impact of the Silbernetz hotline) aims to answer two research questions: 1. what is the reach of Silbernetz, how diverse is the group of older, lonely people who are reached? 2. do the conversations with the hotline staff reduce the subjective experience of loneliness, feelings of shame or negative self-images of old age?
ReWiSil is designed to be participatory and takes place in close cooperation between the German Centre of Gerontology (DZA) and Silbernetz, whereby the scientific decision-making responsibility lies with the DZA.
‘Research on the prevalence and consequences of loneliness is extensive, but scientific analyses of intervention measures against loneliness are largely lacking – at least in Germany. We want to close this research gap with this project. The results should both advance research and be communicated to the general public in order to further sensitise people to the issue.’ (Dr Oliver Huxhold, German Centre of Gerontology)
Further information:
(https://www.dza.de/forschung/aktuelle-projekte/evaluationsprojekt-reichweite-und-wirkung-der-silbernetz-hotline-rewisil)
Further information on the project
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Manfred Antranias Zimmer on Pixabay