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“What does the word loneliness mean to you?” Reflections on co-developing public engagement workshops to facilitate discussions of loneliness with older adults from ethnically diverse groups

J. Rees,Madiha Sajid,Circle Steele,Marie Croker,Wei Liu,F. Matcham

Published 2025 in Research Involvement and Engagement

ABSTRACT

Loneliness is a growing public health concern with known health and wellbeing consequences. The issue is often overlooked in ethnically diverse groups despite language and cultural barriers increasing the risk of social isolation. It is important to deepen our understanding of loneliness in later life from a multi-cultural perspective to design loneliness interventions that are appropriate within and across ethnic groups. In this commentary, we present a case study of our involvement activities with underrepresented ethnic groups to design and facilitate loneliness workshops. We share a joint reflection from academic and public authors on lessons learned and recommendations for future engagement activities. In three, one-off public engagement workshops, we aimed to create an inclusive and culturally appropriate space for people from ethnically diverse groups to facilitate discussion on loneliness in later life and share strategies to manage emotions. In a co-production process, a lived experience contributor worked closely with a university researcher to design the Connect and Cope workshops. Next, we collaborated with public contributors from organisations supporting older adults in the communities who facilitated discussions in the preferred language of workshop attendees. All workshops were tailored to the specific needs of each group. Between June and July 2023, we engaged 46 people over the age of 65 from South Asian (n = 10), Chinese (n = 16) and Somali (n = 20) communities. Our Reflections are presented in three themes: 1) Co-design process, where we reflect on the value of lived experience advice in workshop design; 2) Facilitation of workshops, where we reflect on the importance of shared experience and language; and 3) Engagement with community groups, where we reflect on the role of trusted gatekeepers to support engagement. We highlight the benefits of a co-production approach with members of the community being engaged. For future PPIE activities involving ethnically diverse groups, we recommend utilising community organisations to act as trusted gatekeepers between universities and communities of interest. A deeper understanding of loneliness from a multi-cultural perspective is vital for informing the development of culturally appropriate interventions for loneliness reduction. Loneliness is very common, and people from diverse ethnic groups are often excluded from meaningful support. Stereotypes about multigenerational living create problems of ‘hidden loneliness’ in later life. Older adults from ethnically diverse groups have faced discrimination and language barriers throughout their lives. They may have felt that services have not been designed for them or that activities offered for social connection are not culturally relevant. Increasing our understanding of loneliness within ethnic groups may help address these issues. “What does the word loneliness mean to you?” This is the question we asked in the Connect and Cope workshops to begin a conversation about loneliness with older adults from three ethnically diverse groups. Between June and July 2023, we engaged 46 people over the age of 65 across the UK from South Asian (n = 10), Chinese (n = 16) and Somali (n = 20) communities. After the workshops, all the older adults reported knowing more about loneliness. These workshops would not have been possible without support from the communities in which we were engaging. This provided valuable insight into the specific needs of each group, creating an inclusive space in which older adults were happy to discuss their experiences of loneliness. Having a person lead the workshop in the language that the attendees felt most comfortable with was key to relationship development. Future work to engage ethnically diverse groups in sensitive discussions such as loneliness should utilise the expertise of community organisations supporting older adults at the start of projects.

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