Against loneliness in old age - "agathe" project presents results

"Really depressed, strained the computer and ruined the couch," is how Volker Pokluda from Jena describes his condition before he was advised by the agathe project. When he says this, a murmur of understanding goes through the audience. The sprightly gentleman spoke about his experiences as a representative of the target group at the recent panel discussion in Erfurt to present the evaluation of agathe.

agathe - Thuringian initiative against loneliness

Agathe is a Thuringian initiative to combat loneliness among senior citizens. The program is primarily aimed at people of retirement age who live alone and offers low-threshold advice, information and referral services. The aim is to reduce loneliness and promote community and social participation in old age.

OptiMedis, a social research institute, was in charge of investigating and presenting the effectiveness of the advisory service. Minister Heike Werner demonstrated the effectiveness and need for the initiative on the basis of over 9,500 home visits. In the evaluation of the interviews conducted with the senior citizens, OptiMedis described how specific help could be provided in individual situations.

"I had the feeling that I was being left behind," Pokluda reported and went on to talk about the letter from the city of Jena with the offer from agathe. He called and quickly received a visit and concrete suggestions for his situation. He liked the suggested contact offers, which he gladly accepted. He still attends a regulars' table for single people and agathe walks to see what is on offer in the district. He also took part in information events on topics such as safety in everyday life and preventive care. One highlight for him was attending a Christmas party, as he hadn't been to one for years. The contact with people gave him the courage to face life again and his interests returned.

Volker Pokluda

© Stadt Jena

Support needs of older people living alone

The panel discussed the great need for support for older people living alone in order to lead a long and happy life, preferably in their own home. Strengthening active participation and integration into the community and providing needs-based assistance have a decisive influence on this. Volker Pokluda's descriptions gave the facts presented a very personal and practical perspective.

agathe offer in Jena

Franziska Wächter, the city of Jena's elderly care planner, outlined the plans for the city of Jena based on the proven need for the agathe advisory service. Originally launched in Lobeda in 2021, agathe has been responsible for the entire city since 2024. To this end, the number of posts in the project has been increased and the project work for the new districts has been further developed. The plan is to establish the agathe service as a permanent component of care for the elderly.

Contact

The agathe team can be contacted on 0049 3641 806857 / 0049 173 4303842 and agathe@ueag-jena.de(link sends email).