The Human Rights Ombudsman (hereinafter: Ombudsman) is once again participating in the Festival of the Third Age, which is marking its 24th anniversary. The festival will take place from 30 September to 2 October 2025 at Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana and is open to visitors free of charge for all three days. It is dedicated to active ageing, improving the quality of life of older people, and building solidarity between generations.

As part of the expert programme, the Ombudsman is organising a roundtable entitled Loneliness among the Elderly – an overlooked epidemic of modern society: how to move forward?, which will take place on 30 September 2025 at 2:30 p.m. in the Kosovel Hall of Cankarjev dom.

Loneliness is one of the important contemporary social challenges, which is often overlooked and underestimated. The consequences of loneliness are significant, as they have a negative impact on the mental and physical health of the population and the well-being of society. Experts warn that a feeling of loneliness increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and suicide, as well as many diseases. According to some estimates, long-term loneliness is comparable to the risks of smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is more harmful than obesity or physical inactivity. Loneliness can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, or other circumstances, but it is more often experienced by vulnerable groups, including the elderly.

Combating loneliness is increasingly being established as a key public health priority at the European and wider international level, as also highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Some countries, such as Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, have already adopted national strategies or specific policies to combat loneliness in recent years.

In Slovenia, we do not (yet) see systemic efforts to address loneliness at the national level, but the question arises as to whether this would be necessary and sensible and whether, given the current situation, we may already be too late. Existing measures and activities in this area remain fragmented, often project-oriented rather than systemic, and largely dependent on initiatives by local communities or non-governmental organisations. While these efforts are extensive, they cannot substitute for a more active role of the state. At the same time, numerous organisations and individuals working daily with older people are warning that the situation on the ground is concerning. The Ombudsman also observes this firsthand, as loneliness is increasingly being highlighted as one of the main challenges faced by the elderly during visits to retirement homes.

However, it should not be overlooked that long-term loneliness, resulting from social isolation, institutional abandonment, or systemic neglect, can also pose a threat to basic human dignity, and thus constitutes an issue of interference with fundamental human rights. These are for the state to respect and protect.

At the roundtable, we will open the following questions with interesting interlocutors:

• What is the real picture of loneliness among the elderly in our country? What do the data and research show?
• Does Slovenia need a comprehensive and interdepartmental national strategy or national action plan to combat loneliness among the elderly and more broadly?
• How is the measure from the Resolution on the National Mental Health Programme 2018–2028, which addresses loneliness among the elderly, currently being implemented? How successfully will the planned activities from the Action Plan for the period 2025–2028 address the reduction of loneliness and exclusion? What measures are still needed?
• What barriers (e.g. stigmatisation, lack of funding) prevent a more systemic approach?
• How important are informal actors in preventing loneliness (NGOs, volunteers, etc.)? How can the state better support them?
  
  

ROUNDTABLE PROGRAMME

Ivan Šelih, Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman – introductory speech by the host

ROUNDTABLE GUESTS:

Moderator: Dr. Dijana Možina Zupanc, Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman

Prof. Dr. Zvezdan Pirtošek, MD, neurologist, Chair of Neurology at the Ljubljana Faculty of Medicine and long-time head of the Clinical Department of Nervous System Diseases at the University Hospital Centre in Ljubljana

Biserka Marolt Meden, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Slovenia for social activities and former president of the Srebrna nit association – association for dignified ageing

Doc. Dr. Olivera Stanojević Jerković, MD, public health specialist, Head of the interdisciplinary group for mental health of the elderly, working within the Mira Programme at the National Institute of Public Health

Nadja Čobal, MA, Head of the Department for Mental Health and Dementia at the Ministry of Health

Valerija Lekić Poljšak, Director, Doma starejših občanov Črnomelj

Vijola Bertalanič, President of the Programme Council of the Starejši za starejše programme, Association of Pensioners' Associations of Slovenia

Participation in the roundtable is free of charge, but we ask that you confirm your participation in advance at: https://forms.office.com/e/ruwaFnE1cB by 25 September 2025.

The Ombudsman will also participate in the festival with a presence in the exhibition space on all three days, where the Ombudsman's expert staff will be available to all visitors between 9 am and 6 pm (or until 5 pm on the last day). Visitors will be able to talk to them about the role and activities of the Ombudsman, obtain information on when and how they can contact the Ombudsman for help, and discuss specific issues regarding potential violations of rights they are facing. The Ombudsman's information brochure on the rights of the elderly will also be available at the festival, which provides older people with some key information regarding the rights and position of the elderly in Slovenia.

More information about the events at the Festival of the Third Age (at: Festival za tretje življenjsko obdobje | Festival za tretje življenjsko obdobje (f3zo.si))

You are cordially invited to visit us at the exhibition stand or attend the roundtable!