1 in 10 of the entire older population say they often feel lonely;
Half of all older people in the UK consider TV to be their main form of company;
Over half a million older people leave their house once a week or less;
Nearly half of all people aged 75 and over live alone;
A saddening 450,000 older people in the UK spent last Christmas alone;
60 older people a week die alone;
As the UK population is living longer, the number of people aged 80 years and older is projected to almost double by 2030;
The overall increase of older people reporting loneliness by 2030 will be around 40%?
Why does it matter?
Being lonely has a significant and lasting effect on blood pressure; lonely individuals have higher blood pressure than their less lonely peers;
Loneliness is as big a risk to health as smoking and obesity;
Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease;
1 in 10 older people visit their GP because they are lonely.
Why are we lonely?
Being older is a crucial predictor of loneliness and that by 2030 demographic change alone is projected to drive up the number of lonely older people in the UK by 40%;
There is a strong link between having low levels of income and being lonely – older people in poverty suffer lower frequency of social contacts;
16% of us say we would like to offer to do something to help an older person, but are too afraid to do so;
15% of us say we would like to do something kind for an older person, but can’t find the time.
