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Terms of Reference 

1. Context 

Loneliness is experienced by a significant number of individuals of all ages. A recent survey by the Joint Research Centre (JRC; 2022) reported 13% of people living in the EU felt lonely most or all of the time. Ireland was found to have the highest prevalence of loneliness, with 20% of respondents choosing those answers. Furthermore, in May 2023, the US Surgeon General declared loneliness as a new public health epidemic and explained it can have profound impacts on mental health, cardiovascular health, and increases risk for conditions such as dementia. These recent findings highlight the need for up-to-date and high-quality research developed in Ireland to support policy change to alleviate the suffering associated with loneliness across the island. 
 

Across the EU, US, and UK combatting loneliness is increasingly a priority at government level. For example, the European Parliament recently commissioned a pilot project seeking to explore the issue across Europe which resulted in the aforementioned survey and a series of policy documents. Furthermore, in the UK this priority was enshrined in the Ministry for Loneliness, and Campaign to End Loneliness. In Ireland, there was a commitment to address loneliness in the Programme for Government; however, the cause has yet to be allocated resources.  

 

In 2018, a coalition of organisations came together as the Loneliness Taskforce to address the issue of loneliness in Ireland. This taskforce includes members of ALONE, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Disability Federation of Ireland, Family Carers Ireland, Prof Roger O’Sullivan, Prof Brian Lawlor, The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Samaritans Ireland, Mental Health Reform, Muintir na Tíre, Jigsaw, The National Women’s Council of Ireland, and LGBT Ireland. However, there remains a need for a dedicated loneliness research network to ensure high-quality research on loneliness is produced in Ireland, to inform policy reform and reflecting the reality of those with lived experience. In November 2022 a meeting was held to discuss the creation of a Loneliness Research Network.  ALONE offered its full support in creating this network and has proposed to act as a link between the Loneliness Taskforce, the research network, and service providers in the area. This document sets out Terms of Reference for this group. 

 2. Aims/Objectives 

The primary aim of this network is to inform the Loneliness Taskforce with relevant evidence to ensure that their recommendations for policy change are rooted in high-quality research. 

2.1 Objectives 

  • To identify and map existing evidence and ongoing research on loneliness in Ireland. This includes identifying research gaps and research priorities on an ongoing basis, to inform evidence-based policy recommendations. 
  • To investigate the unique factors which drove loneliness levels in Ireland to the highest in the EU and identify lessons we can learn and implement from international research and policies.  
  • To provide a forum for researchers in Ireland with an interest in loneliness to share, discuss, and collaborate on current and future research related to loneliness and its policy implications. This collaborative approach will aim to reduce duplication and foster the development of internationally relevant research.   
  • To actively identify potential funding sources for research projects related to loneliness and collaborate on funding applications for joint research projects or initiatives. This will help secure resources and support the research community’s efforts. 
  • To involve people with relevant lived experience in the research process. This will guide research priorities, policy development, and inform knowledge translation and dissemination efforts. 

3. Scope 

The scope of the network will include all research on the island of Ireland that explores loneliness across the life course in the Irish population, including people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Recent research suggests that loneliness is likely best tackled using an intersectional approach (Yang, 2023), which means that a more tailored approach to loneliness intervention is likeliest to yield the most benefits. Furthermore, it will include researchers that are studying loneliness in childhood, adolescence, late life, in schools, hospitals, communities, and across disciplines and interest areas. The network can act as a resource for project development and assistance to enable more robust research.  

4. Membership


    4.1 Members 

  • The group will comprise all researchers at all stages of their career (including early career researchers and postgraduate students) who are interested in or have a lived experience of loneliness. 
  • Members should aim to attend at least one meeting annually and/or share information about ongoing research via email.   
  • Full members are individuals working in research. 
  • Associate members are individuals who have an interest or lived experience in loneliness.

     4.2 Chairperson 
  • A researcher with expertise in loneliness will be appointed to Chair this network. The overall role of the Chairperson is to provide direction and strategic guidance to the network. 
  • The Chairperson will actively chair or facilitate meetings. 
  • They will act as a primary representative for the network to external stakeholders, including the Loneliness Taskforce and funding agencies. 
  • The Chairperson will play a key role in making important decisions for the network. This includes prioritising research areas, allocating resources, and shaping the network’s strategic direction. 
  • In the event of conflicts or disagreements within the network, the Chairperson may be called upon to mediate and facilitate consensus among network members. 
  • The Chairperson will hold the position for one year afterwards a new Chair or a renewal of the existing Chairperson will be decided by the steering committee.

    4.3 Secretariat 

  • ALONE will act as Secretariat for this network (0.2 FTE resource). The overall role of the Secretariat is to ensure the aims and objectives of the network are met.   
  • The Secretariat will provide administrative support to the network, including organising meetings, maintaining records, and facilitating communicating among group members.  
  • The Secretariat will play a key role in disseminating information and research findings generated by the network. 
  • The Secretariat will also assist in network membership, including recruitment, onboarding, and ensuring members have access to necessary resources and information. 
  • The network will be sponsored and supported by ALONE and its CEO, who will link and guide the relationship with the taskforce and service providers in the area. ALONE’s CEO will attend network meetings as required by the network.


    4.4 Public and Patient Involvement – Members with lived experience 

  • We aim to always have a minimum of two active members with lived experience. 
  • These members will be recruited from people engaged with the organisations involved in the Loneliness Taskforce or are part of the PPI ignite network.   
  • Members with lived experience can be from all age groups, provided they are at least 16 years of age. 

 5. Meetings  

  • It is suggested that there will be up to four meetings annually for full members only, with the caveat that there must be two meetings in a year. 
  • Meetings may be held online or in-person. 
  • It is proposed the network will also host events for those interested in loneliness, including associate members and non-members. Possible speakers are individuals active in the field of loneliness research and policy advocates (e.g., members of the UK loneliness research network).  

 6. Review and Amendment  

These Terms of Reference may be reviewed and amended as necessary to ensure they remain aligned with the network’s objectives and evolving needs. 

 

Yang, K. (2023). Loneliness and intersectionality: A progressive conditional approach. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 5, 100122.