OKRA: Lift older people out of their isolation during the pandemic

Right at the start of the pandemic, OKRA, an association of, for and by over‑55s, launched a variety of original initiatives to encourage older people to stay active, maintain their social networks and connect with each other. The association's members and volunteers work to cheer up lonely older people and to help them break out of their social isolation. "Coronavirus isn't the cause of loneliness among older people, but it has made it worse and more widespread", says Mark De Soete, OKRA's director general. "Connecting older people with each other is still the big challenge."

What prompted you to start your project or initiative?

Mark De Soete: When the coronavirus pandemic broke out, it very quickly became clear that older people were not only particularly vulnerable to the virus itself, but were also vulnerable in their social contacts. In OKRA, we wanted to make sure that older people's interests were properly defended and that they continued to have opportunities to meet and connect with others.

How has your project been received? Have you had any feedback from the people you've helped?

People appreciated that, thanks to OKRA's intervention, visitors have been allowed back to residential care homes. Our members were very happy to hear from OKRA from time to time: a phone call, a visit to their door, a bit of attention. And our exercise videos were widely viewed and shared.

How will you use this specific funding to provide further help in the community? Are you already planning any new projects?

Coronavirus isn't the cause of loneliness among older people, but it has made it worse and more widespread. Connecting older people with each other is still the big challenge, and in OKRA we want to focus even more on that in the future.

What advice would you give to other organisations in terms of achieving results with such activities and programmes?

The strength of our project is that it focuses on a variety of different areas. We have tried to relieve people's loneliness on an individual level but, for that to have a real chance of success, there is a need to initiate change at policy level as well. Here too, a civil society organisation has an important role to play in influencing policy.