Bluebird Care support Age UK in tackling loneliness in later life
Published: 03/11/2015
Age UK launched its’ new campaign ‘No one should have no one at Christmas’ on 2 November 2015 to raise awareness of loneliness and isolation in people aged 65 and over.
Age UK launched its’ new campaign ‘No one should have no one at Christmas’ on 2 November 2015 to raise awareness of loneliness and isolation in people aged 65 and over.The ‘No one should have no one at Christmas’ campaign highlights that more than a million older people say they haven’t spoken to a friend, neighbour or family member for over a month.
New research conducted by the charity showed that while many of us are looking forward to spending time with family and friends and getting stuck into festive fun, 60%* of people aged over 65 aren’t expecting festive happiness to be part of their Christmas this year.
Last year Age UK also found that nearly 400,000 people aged 65 and over in the UK were worried about being lonely over Christmas.
This year the campaign has many supporters, including celebrities such as Dame Judi Dench, who commenting on the campaign 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. Age UK is trying to change this: help them to help an older person this festive season and support its No one should have no one at Christmas campaign.”
Bluebird Care support the campaign as the issue of loneliness in older people is one that hits close to home with us. We have seen many of our customers struggle with loneliness in the past, and we are passionate in helping to raise awareness on the issue, and to help ensure that nobody has to spend Christmas alone this year.The charity is asking everyone to check in on their older neighbours, relatives and friends, and to sign its petition calling on the Government to recognise loneliness as a serious health problem and commit to action to help tackle it.
To help Age UK support lonely older people this Christmas and to find out how you can help by donating, volunteering and signing its petition calling on Government to take action go to the Age UK website.
*Source Age UK
