Loneliness and social isolation: what role can meeting centres for people affected by dementia in the United Kingdom play?

Purpose Loneliness and social isolation are known issues for older people, particularly those living with dementia. As evidence-based social clubs helping people affected by dementia adjust to the changes that a diagnosis of dementia brings, meeting centres (MCs) have the potential to reduce loneliness and social isolation. This paper aims to explore what data collected by MCs tells us about their impact on loneliness and social isolation for members attending and their family carers. Design/methodology/approach Between May 2019 and December 2023, 29 MCs participated in data collection activities, capturing demographics of members and carers. Loneliness data captured at six-month intervals were analysed using paired t-tests. Findings Over 1,020 members and nearly 700 carers were supported by the 29 MCs. Attending an MC had a positive impact on reducing loneliness and social isolation for members, with female members most likely to experience benefits. Similar benefits were not seen for carers, likely because of less participation in activities. While MCs play an important role in addressing loneliness and social isolation, greater impact may be possible by increasing their appeal to men and younger members and encouraging active engagement and participation from carers, particularly those who are male and/or older. Originality/value The MC network is ever-expanding, with around 70 MCs operating across the UK. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to bring together data from those MCs engaging with data collection.