A new Age UK campaign backed by Dame Judi Dench has been launched to raise awareness of the loneliness and isolation which is experienced by over 60% of people aged 65 and over.
The ‘No one should have no one at Christmas’ campaign aims to remind us that while many of us look forward to spending time with family and friends during the festive season, many older people find it to be the most lonely time of the year.
Help and older person
Actress Dame Judi Dench has revealed why she got involved with the campaign. She said:
“I’ve come to know that the most important thing in life as you get older is the people around you. Like many others, I eagerly await the arrival of loved ones at Christmas and without them the festive celebrations just wouldn’t be the same. So it’s heart-breaking to think of those who will have no one at all to share these special occasions with.
“Age UK is trying to change this: help them to help an older person this festive season and support the ‘No one should have no one at Christmas’ campaign.”
“It’s heart-breaking to think of those who will have no one at all to share these special occasions with.”
Missing loved ones
A recent survey conducted by Age UK found that more than one million people aged 65 and over have not had any communication with a friend, neighbour or family member for over a month. It follows a study last year which identified that nearly 400,000 people aged 65 and over in the UK were worried about being lonely over the Christmas season.
Older people were asked to identify their main worries in the build up to the festive season, with missing loved ones who have passed away being the most common at 42%.
Similarly, 61% of the same age group said that Christmas would not be the same without spending time with their children or grandchildren. Only 23%of those polled aged 18–34 said they planned to spend Christmas with their grandparents and just under half of those aged 25–54 said they planned to spend it with their parents.
Harmful to health
Worryingly, it’s been suggested that loneliness can be as harmful to health as smoking and obesity, causing depression and feelings of low self-worth. In light of this, Age UK is urging individuals to check in on older neighbours, relatives and friends over the festive season, as well as sign the petition which calls on the Government to recognise loneliness as a serious health problem and commit to action to help reduce it.
Age UK has created a ‘live’ snow-globe version of its’ ‘No one should have no one at Christmas’ campaign in London’s South Bank. Celebrities including, Sylvia Syms, Diana Moran, Lionel Blair and Brian Murphy as well as members of the public have been invited to sit within the globe to find out more about loneliness and why it is such a serious problem.
To help Age UK support lonely older people and to find out more information go to the Age UK website.
