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 two ways to get involved in research at Re-engage:
Join our research group. Older people who attend Re-engage social gatherings or activities, or who speak to one of our call companions, can join our research group.
Sign up to our research mailing list.
Current and upcoming opportunities / projects
If you’re interested in being part of any of the projects or would like to learn more about taking part in our research, register your interest and a member of our research team will be in touch.
Thanks for checking, we don't have any opportunities at present but you can sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date on our latest developments or check back soon.
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.