German community programs address senior loneliness

The German Red Cross (DRK) local chapter in Barsinghausen runs a senior meeting every Tuesday at 14:00 in the DRK Begegnungsstätte Am Buchhorn 3A. The gathering offers coffee, cake, bingo and other activities, free transport for participants, and invites volunteers to help. Rita Nickel, the senior work contact, emphasizes that anyone is welcome and that the program aims to counteract isolation among older residents.

In the Vogelsberg district, the Volkshochschule has made loneliness the theme of its new semester. Director Kirsten Wegwerth says the school will offer courses, workshops and lectures for all age groups, highlighting the 2024 loneliness barometer that links isolation to poorer mental and physical health, poverty and reduced trust in institutions. The programme includes sessions on loss, living alone, and transitions to retirement, positioning the VHS as a place for learning, social contact and civic participation.