MACCS BEFRIENDING Companions…. Amma’s Listening Ear
Effects of LONELINESS on health and the need for befriending
As we entered 2020, we could not have foreseen the events which would soon engulf us all. As Covid-19 pandemic spread without check and as the lockdown was announced on the 23rd March in the UK, we braced ourselves for a bumpy ride into the unknown. For some, it was a chance to spend quality time with family, an opportunity to work from home, to pause and reassess priorities. In contrast, for over 9 million people, almost 1/5 of the UK population(1), these 12 weeks have felt like a prison sentence in solitary confinement. Social distancing has lead to a lack of contact with the outside world, which further compounds their experiences of loneliness and isolation (2).
March 23rd was also the date I began my new job as a Social Prescribing Link Worker in a GP surgery. Social prescribing is a brand-new role within the NHS, which has been implemented after finding that our health is negatively affected by our social conditions, such as poverty, poor housing, environmental issues, and loneliness. Humans are social creatures and as our usual social connections were removed it became harder to for us to maintain a sense of wellbeing, in particular, the elderly were greatly impacted. Research has shown that loneliness and social isolation not only has a detrimental effect on an individual’s mental health but alarmingly can increase the likelihood of mortality by 26%, a risk factor equivalent to the early deaths caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day (1).
Kate Shurety, Executive Director of the Campaign to End Loneliness said:
For many people there will be a tough, but necessary period of social isolation. Many of us will miss family and friends and taking part in our hobbies, interests and activities.
As always, Amma had anticipated ahead of time the effects that lockdown would have on those that were already marginalised and isolated. I saw Amma’s request to help those in need, as an opportunity to align the experiences I have gained in my new role with a desire to serve Amma. I joined a small group of Amma’s UK devotees to create the MACCS Befriending Companions to fulfil Amma’s vision. Swami Shubhamritanandamayi Puri said to us that in providing this service to those in need, we become Amma’s listening ears.
Since launching on the 18th May 2020, the MACCS Befriending Companions have trained 25 volunteers and have managed to match 4 Befriendees (service users) with Befrienders (volunteers). We have also gained membership to the Befriending Network, which is nationally recognised as being the experts in the field of Befriending. Research by the Befriending Network (3) suggests that interventions like our service , benefits both the befriendee and befriender (4).
I am very grateful to have had this experience, to be able to co-produce a platform that can help so many. And yes, you’ve guessed it, I have already signposted lonely patients to the service, knowing that they will be supported by our growing team of befrienders who are in turn supported by the wonderful Amma network and of course by Amma’s Grace.
If you feel inspired to volunteer for the MACCS Befriending Companions please email support@macentre.org.uk. You do not need to have counselling skills because training will be provided. There will be training day on Sunday 5th July 2020
References
(1) https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/
(2) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-launches-governments-first-loneliness-strategy
(3) https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/4/e014304
(4) https://www.ark.ac.uk/publications/occasional/Befriending.pdf
Further Reading
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1444880/1/U592190.pdf
https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-019-2102-y
-by Sarah Yapp (Southend-on-Sea)
