ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS TO OUR LIFE SPANS IS LONELINESS

By: Laura Alcock-Ferguson

Published: City Lab, September 23^rd 2017,  https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/10/our-greatest-public-health-problem-is-loneliness/543693/

Level of Difficulty: * (This is a tough level one, so don't make it the first one you do)

LISTEN CAREFULLY

Professor Murthy and Professor Lampard’s views on loneliness are the focus of the text you are about to read. Take 20 minutes to listen to her first:

·         Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard - Full speech, RCGP annual conference 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbqVDHbL7Wo

Now take a further 5min to listen to Prof Murthy:

·         Former surgeon general on how loneliness could reduce lifespan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q3MEdF3G9s

QUESTIONS

Read the subtitle and the first three paragraphs of the text (from the beginning down to “During…”):

1.       What major policy change would Professor Lambard and Professor Murthy be likely to support?

Read on as far as “So what do we do about it?”:

2.       How does Prof Murthy reach the conclusion that “Loneliness is akin to an epidemic”? He observed that…

3.       The negative impact of loneliness on health is well documented. What is the underlying reason for this negative impact?

4.       We understand from the text that we cannot really help being negatively impacted by loneliness because…

Read on to as far as “Thirdly…”:

5.       Read the example of the square near the friend’s flat described in the text and the threat it is facing. This story is an example proving that…. There are two possible answers; find both.

Read on to the end of the text:

6.       We are somewhat prejudiced against older people T/F

7.       Watch the short video prepared The Campaign to End Loneliness: Loneliness Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYc85A8f2CM . What immediate conclusion can be drawn from this video? What is the take home point? (Be careful, this is a tough question)

WRITING TASK

Refer to all the information you have gathered to write about the effects of loneliness. In the videos below you will also find some solutions, which you can include in your conclusion.
 Loneliness is literally killing us | Will Wright | TEDxBirmingham

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruh6rN5UrME

       The Simple Cure for Loneliness | Baya Voce | TEDxSaltLakeCity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSXh1YfNyVA

ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS TO OUR LIFE SPANS IS LONELINESS; KEY AND TEACHERS’ NOTES

This insightful text highlights a growing problem many are not aware of or take for granted. The text and the videos are easy to follow and are closely linked; the contents overlap. This helps with the reading task. The writing task should be done immediately upon the completion of the task to consolidate learning.

1.       Health insurers and public bodies’ investing as much in encouraging social encounters as exercise and good diet

2.       The most common pathology he saw was loneliness (You must not copy paste answers; you must make them fit the question)

3.       Lonely people have lower levels of oxytocin, the love hormone that is important to health and wellbeing.

4.       Our physiology evolved to be connected to others (to be lonely goes against human nature)

5.       Community spaces are being slowly eroded / Policy makers are not weaving the prevention of loneliness into their strategies

6.       True

7.       The need for friendship and support and meaningful relationships does not fizzle out with age  Loneliness should never be normalized or accepted as inevitable