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"The erosion of social capital, and increasing levels of social isolation are widely recognised phenomena in our society. Older people are particularly likely to admit to feeling lonely, and social isolation is known to have a significant impact on older people's physical and mental wellbeing. Many older people particularly value local services that provide them with opportunities for regular social contact. However, we are currently witnessing a significant decline in many of these local services such as libraries, post offices and lunch clubs. More than 2,500 post offices have closed and 5,000 small shops have disappeared in the past six years. At the same time, many statutory and third sector services are currently under threat from local authority budgetary cuts. The private sector could do much to provide non-specialised local settings and opportunities for older people to remain connected with their communities. However, thus far there has been little investigation into how private companies might contribute to social cohesion in this way. This project will identify ways that private companies can make use of their local presence and existing operating models to generate new social opportunities for older people."

"nef's 'Five ways to well-being': nef 's centre for well-being has developed a set of five evidence-based actions that, if practised regularly, can improve personal well-being. Connect With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. Be Active Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Take Notice Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are on a train, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. Keep Learning Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do. Give Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you.

Estimates of subjective well-being from the first annual experimental Annual Population Survey (APS) Subjective Well-being dataset; April 2011 to March 2012