Lets Reduce Loneliness This Festive Season!

It’s easy to become swept up in the excitement of seeing loved ones and the giving and receiving of gifts during the Christmas period. At Bluebird Care we are asking you to do your part to ensure no one is lonely this festive season!

So it’s easy to forget that the family-orientated holiday season can be the loneliest of times for people with no relatives. People who beg for money to be fined £100 by council This time of year can be particularly difficult for the elderly, people who’ve lost their partners or whose children have moved too far away to visit. New figures show that 1.9 million people over the age of 65 often feel invisible or ignored, 1.4 million feel cut off from society and 3.6 million admit that their television is their main form of company.

Janet, 70, whose story features in this winter’s Age UK campaign spoke to a local news source  to offer advice on how to make people feel included during winter when the weather makes it a bit tricky for older people to get out and about. ‘A lot of people assume that older people are surrounded by friends and family, especially at this time of year. Sadly, that’s not the case for all of us. I’ve dedicated my life to my career and then one day I found myself older and lonely – this wasn’t what I was used to, or what I wanted.’

Many elderly people will be alone over the festive period Janet asks ‘Think of people you know who may be on their own and telephone them to ask them how they are and to give them your best wishes. ‘This need only be brief but will help them feel as though they are not forgotten.’ How to volunteer to help the homeless this winter She suggests that any older people who will be spending the festivities alone would appreciate a kind word from neighbours, as it can be particularly difficult watching others spending quality time with their friends or relatives if you’re feeling alone.
‘Just say hello to them when you bump into them and wish them well. ‘Pop a note under their door to ask them if they would like to come round for a coffee,’ she added. And if you suspect somebody is spending the Christmas period alone, but lives too far away to check on, Janet says: ‘Don’t forget about them assuming they’re alright. Give a homeless person a bed and a Christmas dinner for less than £25 ‘Telephone them and ask them what they will be doing over the holiday,’ to let them know they’re in your thoughts.

While Roy, whose story is also featured in the Age UK campaign said: ‘Loneliness is something I have experienced first-hand and it goes without saying how upsetting it can be. ‘My beautiful wife passed away one year ago and not a day goes by when I don’t miss her dearly. It takes some getting used to, going from spending every single day for the past 55 years with the woman I love, to facing each day without her.’