True attention for loneliness by the telephone emergency service SensoorZHZM
30-40% of the Rotterdam population experiences moderate to severe loneliness. People can call, email or chat for emotional support to Sensoor, an emergency service. Part of the people that approach Sensoor for emotional support seems to lack an answer to their problems. Sensoor would like to know more about this group and about possibilities to offer extra help. In this small-scale research project the characteristics and backgrounds of loneliness and social isolation are described in general and how they apply to clients of Sensoor. Working methods for Sensoor ’s volunteers to deal with loneliness in their clients are studied together with possibilities tocontribute to solutions for loneliness.