Longevity Week highlights the role of housing in combating loneliness in later life

Longevity Week, led by The Longevity Forum, focuses on one of the most pressing challenges facing older adults: loneliness. Often overlooked, social isolation can have profound impacts on mental and physical health, increasing the risk of depression, cognitive decline, and chronic illness. Housing and living environments play a vital role in shaping opportunities for social connection and wellbeing in later life.

The Diversity in Care Environments (DICE) project, led by the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol in collaboration with the International Longevity Centre-UK and the Housing LIN, investigates how different housing and care models can support older people to remain socially connected and engaged. More information is available here (opens new window).

Research also highlights the benefits of innovative housing models. The Almshouse Longevity Study, published by Bayes Business School, explores whether living in almshouses can promote longer, healthier lives. The study finds that residents of almshouses often experience improved health and social wellbeing compared with peers in lower socioeconomic groups, suggesting that supportive housing environments can mitigate the negative effects of loneliness. Details can be found here (opens new window).

As the population ages, understanding how housing shapes social connection is critical. Longevity Week provides an important platform to explore solutions that help older adults live healthier, more connected lives.