Loneliness is increasingly recognised as an important issue with considerable implications for our individual and collective health, and one that needs to be tackled as a society to improve quality of life for everyone.
Research offers a way to do that; by understanding the causes, experiences and consequences of loneliness and social isolation, as a society we can develop interventions and solutions to boost social connections and reduce loneliness. As a charity, we want to ensure that no one is ever too old to make friends.
We know that people’s experiences are different, but we also know that older people can be particularly vulnerable due to factors such as living alone, being widowed, and having long-term health conditions.
Whatever your experience of loneliness and isolation, by taking part in research, you can help us and our research partners better understand the lives of people aged 75 and older.
Benefits of taking part in research can include:
- Gaining a better understanding of loneliness and social isolation
- Sharing experiences, opinions and advice
- Helping others
- Making a worthwhile contribution to tackling social isolation and loneliness
If you’re an older person (75+) living in the UK with experience of loneliness or social isolation, there are several ways to get involved in research with Re-engage:
- Join our research group – it’s open to older people who attend Re-engage social gatherings or activities, or who speak to one of our call companions.
- Sign up to our research mailing list – you’ll get updates about opportunities to participate in research projects and the activities of the research team.
- Review the list of current and upcoming opportunities and contact the researchers directly, or email research@reengage.org.uk to find out more.
Current and upcoming opportunities
A Masters student at Imperial College London is researching how older adults and their adult family members communicate about health and wellbeing. The research explores how new ways for older adults to share how they're feeling, on their own terms, without it feeling like being monitored or checked up on, could be designed.
The study involves a short online survey (around five minutes) followed by a 20-minute conversation online over Teams or in person in London. Participation is entirely voluntary and all responses are kept confidential. If you are aged 65 or over and in regular contact with at least one adult family member, Irene Vazquez would love to hear from you via iv325@ic.ac.uk. Interviews will take place during June 2026.
A doctoral researcher at the University of East London is conducting a study exploring how older adults experience hot weather at home and how their perceptions of heat risk compare with actual indoor conditions during very hot periods.
She is looking to speak with people aged 65 or over who live in London. Participation involves a one-off, 30-minute face-to-face interview, and the monitoring of temperature and relative humidity in your home using a small device (HOBO MX1101) between 1 July and 31 August. The device is silent, battery-powered, and does not record sound, images, or personal information.
Participants will receive a £40 shopping voucher to thank them for their time.
Your information will be kept confidential and securely stored under approved University of East London ethics and data-protection procedures, and you may withdraw at any time.If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Afua via a.assan@uel.ac.uk or +44 7982 375994.
Researchers at Royal Holloway are looking for retirees aged 65+ to take part in a study that has the potential to shape future support for retirees in the UK.
Participation involves an interview about your social interactions – you won’t be asked for conversation details, the researchers are interested in how many different people you spoke to, how old they are and so on.
Participants will also be asked to complete a range of tasks such as describing everyday objects and answering questions about movie reviews. Audio recordings of you speaking will be taken during some of these tasks.
Taking part is likely to involve two to two-and-a-half hours of your time, and you can choose a location or visit the university in Egham.
Participants need to be aged 65 and over; have been retired for at least six months, but no younger than 60 at the time of retiring; speak English as their first language and not speak any other languages on a regular basis; have no diagnosis or history of conditions affecting language or memory (for example, dementia or stroke).
If you are interested in taking part, contact Carys Dally for further information at carys.dally.2024@live.rhul.ac.uk or 07918216583.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh are conducting a study exploring how older adults experience housing transitions, such as downsizing, moving into supported housing, or choosing to remain in their current home despite challenges. The project focuses on how these changes affect wellbeing, independence, and social connections.
They are currently looking to speak with people aged 60 or over living in Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, or West Lothian who have either:
- moved home within the past three years, or
- considered moving but decided to stay.
Participation involves a one-off interview (by phone, video call, or in person), lasting around 45–90 minutes.
If you are interested or would like more information, please email Stephen Chang, PhD Researcher.
This study aims to explore the potential impact of professional care provision on older LGBTQ+ people’s identity presentations and performances, as well as on their intimate relationships and on the feeling of being ‘at home’. It’s being conducted by a PhD student and has full ethical approval from the university. Harriet is keen to speak to:
- LGBTQ+ older people (aged 67+) who are receiving residential care or support at home
- LGBTQ+ care receivers' social networks (partners / spouses, friends, family)
- Professional care providers to older LGBTQ+ people
- LGBTQ+ people aged 40-70 (about future plans, concerns)
If you’d like to participate, access the online questionnaires.
To get more information or to express an interest in taking part in a research interview with Harriet, please email her.
Older people are disproportionately impacted by climate change but are seldom asked about their experiences and concerns. Would you be interested in shaping a research study that could inform future practice and policy? PhD student Rosie Eacott would like to conduct informal interviews with older people (aged approx. 70-85 years) who live in Colchester or Peterborough, about how you cope with extreme weather, climate concerns, and what could make a difference to your wellbeing.
Contact Rosie to find out more.
This study explores people’s unusual experiences – such as strange dreams, seeing and hearing things others cannot, or knowing things before they happen. These experiences may give us clues about what it means to be human. Our research shows that young people can have lots of these experiences. Other research shows that these experiences can happen less as we grow older. Older people are not often asked about their unusual experiences, so, we are hoping to speak with older people as part of this study.
To find out more, email Donna Thomas or call her on 07542324926.
This study aims to explore how nostalgia is experienced, drawn upon, or made sense of by older adults who are currently experiencing feelings of loneliness or social disconnection. Andrea, a Doctoral Clinical Psychology trainee is keen to speak to people aged 65+ who are willing to talk about nostalgia and memories and how these make them feel. You’ll need to be living in the UK, sufficiently fluent in English to take part in an interview, not experiencing significant mental health difficulties and not experiencing significant memory difficulties. The interview can take place online, over the phone, or in person where appropriate, and would last around an hour. People who take part will receive a £20 shopping voucher to thank them for their time.
If you would like more information or would like to express an interest in taking part in a research interview, please contact Andrea.
Are you living with breathlessness and feeling disconnected, or know someone that is? King’s College London is inviting people over 50 with breathlessness to join PhotoBreathe – a creative study exploring how breathlessness affects social connections. Capture your experience in photos over two weeks, then share your story in an interview. Interested? Contact Laura Cottrell or call 020 7848 8205.
Hearing loss can have far-reaching effects on an individual’s life, including impacts on social and emotional wellbeing, and social participation. ‘Hearing sciences – Scottish section’ is a research group dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding. and improving the lives of people who experience hearing loss. Whether you consider yourself to have a hearing loss or not we are always looking to invite new participants to our department in Glasgow. If you are interested in taking part or would like more information, please email the team.
LEAP study: LGBTQ+ Inclusive Home Care Provision for Older People is currently looking for interview participants. The aim of this study is to better understand how prepared people working in home care are to support older (aged 60+) LGBTQ+ people in England and Wales. As part of this study, we plan to conduct interviews (in-person or online) with older LGBTQ+ people or their partners / informal carers about their experience receiving home care. We are looking to interview people who identify as LGBTQ+ and are 60+ who have experience of receiving home care in England or Wales (within the last 10 years), and currently live in England or Wales. All interview participants will receive a £20 high street store voucher as thanks for participation. To participate or learn more about the study, please contact Shannon O’Rourke by email: s.orourke-11@kent.ac.uk or by phone: 07907878293.
Taking part in research frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Anyone aged 75 and over can sign up to take part in our loneliness and social isolation research. You can register on behalf of someone else if you have their consent.
We have many different types of projects, from trialling technology aimed at reducing loneliness to in-depth life-experience studies.
Opportunities to take part in loneliness research are varied and can include:
- Reviewing materials and providing feedback;
- Completing a survey;
- Being interviewed over the phone or in person;
- Showing researchers your local neighbourhood;
- Trialling a new piece of technology;
- Taking part in steering groups or focus groups;
- Conducting a video interview.
If there are studies that are relevant to you, the research team will contact you to discuss what is involved. You can ask as many questions as you wish before deciding whether to take part. If you’ve registered your interest and are invited to take part in a study, there is still no obligation to take part.