Briefing
On 2 November 2026, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk published an updated overview of support services for people experiencing loneliness in Saxony-Anhalt. The state, welfare organisations and municipal services point to a network of telephone, online and in-person support, with services designed to be easy to access.
Key services include pastoral care and crisis helplines available around the clock, as well as regional psychosocial advice centres. The telephone counselling service is available nationwide and organised regionally; in Saxony-Anhalt, it is accessed through centres in larger towns and cities. In Magdeburg, Halle (Saale) and Stendal municipal and independent providers run regular drop-in sessions for psychosocial advice. Providers such as Caritas and Diakonie combine one-to-one advice with group activities and outreach services.
Online and telephone projects complement in-person services. The project Silbernetz puts people in touch for telephone conversations and provides information about local meeting places, particularly for older people. Up-to-date listings maintained across the state bring together neighbourhood initiatives, self-help groups and meeting places; local authorities and volunteer centres update these directories on an ongoing basis.
The Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Social Affairs emphasises in current state policy documents the importance of local support, coordination centres and mobile services in rural areas. Funding programmes aim to improve networking, ensure reliable opening hours and make existing services easier to find. Reports from the state identify loneliness as a health risk and point to higher levels of loneliness among older people, people living alone and young adults in structurally disadvantaged regions.
Verifiable facts include the support services mentioned, the responsibilities of the state, local authorities and welfare organisations, and the ongoing maintenance of regional directories. Attributed statements come from MDR reports and state policy documents. Assessments of the reach of individual projects depend on the annual reports available and vary between providers.
Looking ahead: State authorities and organisations identify the next steps as expanding regional coordination centres, securing more stable funding for voluntary services and further developing online referral platforms. The aim is to make support easier to find, close gaps in rural areas and improve transitions between urgent advice, group activities and long-term participation.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).