‘This is genuinely a good news story’: Dr Andy Cope on what makes us happy and supporting the elderly at Christmas
Written by: Chloe Hayler
89% of Brits think that helping others and volunteering is key to happiness, research conducted by Perspectus Global has found. As the season shifts into the darker and colder months, it is small acts of kindness that have the most impact on those receiving help and those who give it, according to the research.
In light of these findings, the functional drinks company BOOST is collaborating with the charity Re-engage, for their Christmas Call Companion volunteer drive. Re-engage is an organisation grounded on its mission to provide “vital, life-enhancing social connections for older people at a time in their lives when their social circles are diminishing”. The partnership aims to combine BOOST’s predominately Gen Z audience with vulnerable older people, who are supported by Re-engage, through a weekly telephone conversation as a means of companionship.
Dr Andy Cope, also known as the Dr of Happiness, says, “This is genuinely a good news story. I am super fortunate that at Christmas time our house is alive, but not everyone has that, some people are really lonely, and Christmas makes this problem even worse. Loneliness is a killer.”
“We know that volunteering makes us happy, we know that human connection makes us happy, we know that random acts of kindness make us happy. [The campaign] is getting the Gen Zs to team up with older people so [they] get a call or a visit at Christmas. There are no downsides to that, everyone is a winner there”, the expert in positive psychology adds.
The study of 2,000 Brits commissioned by BOOST also found that a hug from a loved one (42%), a smile from a stranger (42%), getting into bed with clean sheets (41%), and brewing the perfect cup of tea (36%) are instant mood boosters. But still, it was volunteering that came out on top as having the biggest impact on our mood, with 29% of respondents revealing they actively go out of their way to make other people happy.
When asked what people can do to help their mental wellbeing, Dr Andy Cope told Insanity Radio, “The average hug last 2.1 seconds, but for the love to transfer between two people, the hug needs to last 7 seconds or longer.”
He adds, “There will be about twelve people in your life who you spend a massive amount of time with. Just for those twelve people in your life, even if you’re a non-hugger, the homework from the Dr of Happiness is to administer some 7 second hugs.”
For more information on how to support Re-engage and to get involved with Christmas Call Companion, you can visit: Re-engage: the charity reducing loneliness in later life
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Written by Chloe Hayler, Edited by Paige Tamasi, Photography by August de Richelieu, Published by Paige Tamasi