Shopping bus in Zeitlarn: Together for a life without loneliness!

Shopping bus in Zeitlarn: Together for a life without loneliness!

In the current issue of the magazine KOMMUNAL, published for November 2025, the article by editor Gudrun Mallwitz is dedicated to the topic of loneliness and its challenges in the community of Zeitlarn. With the title “Together against loneliness”, the report shows how a new shopping bus should promote social interaction.

As described in the article by zeitlarn.de, the shopping bus is an innovative solution to bring the community together and give residents, especially older people, the opportunity to do their shopping while maintaining social contacts. The project is a response to the growing loneliness that affects many people in rural areas.

Loneliness as a social phenomenon

Loneliness is a common feeling that affects many people, regardless of their current life circumstances. It often arises from a discrepancy between desired and actual social relationships. bpb.de states that loneliness is emotionally stressful and is influenced by both individual factors and social structures. Factors such as age, income poverty and the spatial environment are crucial for the feeling of loneliness.

The design of public spaces plays a central role in promoting social interactions. Neighborhoods are increasingly viewed as social spaces that enable the emergence of local networks and communities. An important aspect of loneliness prevention is the infrastructure of the neighborhoods, which includes meeting places, leisure areas and basic services close to home. bpb.de emphasizes that targeted monitoring of neighborhoods can help to identify specific needs and risks.

Prevention through community projects

The project in Zeitlarn is an example of a different approach to tackling loneliness at a local level. It shows how social bonds can be promoted through low-threshold measures and the involvement of local actors. The cooperation project "Loneliness. New requirements for lively neighborhoods" addresses this topic by focusing on the interactions between the built environment and social coexistence.

Communities should think beyond the design of their infrastructure and also create social resources to address loneliness. b-b-e.de emphasizes that micro-interventional measures in everyday life can be crucial for promoting social contacts. These measures are easy to implement and can bring high benefits to the community by strengthening social cohesion.

In summary, loneliness is a multifaceted problem that requires both individual and societal responses. Initiatives like the shopping bus in Zeitlarn are steps in the right direction to strengthen social cohesion and effectively combat loneliness.