More than a million elderly Britons are lonely, warns Help the Aged

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More than a million people aged 65 or older say they are often or always lonely, Help the Aged has warned.

Coinciding with the launch of a nationwide campaign to tackle the issue of loneliness among older generations, the charity claimed that for the first time, more than one-third of the UK population aged 65 or over now live alone, with more than half of all women in this age bracket doing so.

In an effort to reduce the number of elderly people who are left feeling lonely as a lack of human contact, the charity has launched the One is the Saddest Number campaign, which will help older generations stave off loneliness through the promotion of social events and in-house visits.

The group warned that work in the latter area is of particular importance as around 300,000 people need assistance to leave their home, but lack the regular support necessary to do so. As such, it warned that many elderly people are effectively trapped in their own homes with no-one to turn to for comfort.

Commenting on the findings, Amy Swan, policy manager for social inclusion at Help the Aged, said that while the situation is dire and a tragedy faced by too many elderly people, there is nothing inevitable about the problem.

"Isolation and loneliness are not inevitable side-effects of the ageing process, but the life events associated with older age can leave people vulnerable. Poverty, bereavement, far-flung families and failing health can all play a part, and while living alone is for some a preferred life choice, for others it can be one of the key risk factors leading to someone becoming isolated and also lonely, particularly for older people," she commented.

In an effort to reduce the number of people battling with loneliness, Help the Aged is calling for donations to roll out nationwide befriending programmes, providing forums for older people to meet and talk with each other.

So too, with the festive season approaching, the group also hopes to provide 25,000 elderly people with a Christmas meal to help them to enjoy the period and avoid feeling isolated at what is typically a time of togetherness and celebration.

Providing this service may be a particularly pertinent and effective part of the campaign after research from the charity showed that 1.5 million older people do not look forward to the Christmas period as they feel particularly lonely at this time of year.

This year's campaign may also become particularly important in light of the recent economic problems experienced throughout the UK, as Help the Aged highlighted the strong link between poverty and loneliness. It warned that with 2.5 million older people currently living on or below the poverty line, there is a likelihood that those who are struggling financially will also have to cope with the most severe feelings of loneliness.

Commenting on the situation, Ellie Stanton, public relations account manager at Help the Aged, said that while the UK population as a whole may be struggling with rocketing energy bills and inflation, economic difficulties may be particularly acute for elderly people with fixed incomes.

"A decent income is vital to preventing isolation; many social activities people want to do cost money. Not being able to afford to attend a local evening class or to go out for a cheap meal once a month can mean that people are cut off from social contact," she said.

"Income can also help mitigate the impact of health difficulties and those with higher incomes can afford to purchase transport solutions, equipment and care whereas those on lower incomes cannot.

"Indeed, it can be argued that some health difficulties are even caused by low income, for example if someone cannot afford a healthy diet, or to heat their home, they may well become ill," Ms Stanton claimed.

For those who are concerned that they will find themselves in want of human contact this Christmas, she urged them to get in contact with their local Help the Aged group, details of which are available on 0800 00 99 66.

So too, Ms Stanton added that volunteering can be an excellent way to stave off loneliness. While it provides an avenue to meet new people and make new friends, volunteering can also help people to feel good about themselves, she explained.

Furthermore, she advised that magazines such as those published by Samaritans and Saga provide pages for people who are looking for pen-friends, allowing people to establish contact with people like themselves over the Christmas period.

Finally, Ms advised that older people may also like to consider getting a community alarm, which are phones linked to a response unit. So too, there are also pendants that can be worn around the neck or wrist with a button which can be pressed in an emergency.

Meanwhile, Help the Aged also operates a service called SeniorLink, "which you can ring in emergencies, if you are worried about a stranger at your door or if you just feel a bit lonely and would like a chat with someone", Ms Stanton concluded.

Older people can contact SeniorLink on 01255 473999.

Samaritans also operates a 24-hour help and support services for people of all ages.

Trained volunteers are on call to provide confidential advice on 08457 909090.

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