![]() ![]() The Silver Line helpline (0800 470 8090) can let you know what's going on in your local area. Not to mention local branches of regional and national organisations that hold social events, such as the Women's Institute and Re-engage. These will vary according to where you live, but the chances are you'll have access to a singing or walking group, book clubs, bridge, bingo, quiz nights and faith groups. ![]() Get involved in local community activities Libraries and community centres often hold regular training courses for older people to learn basic computer skills – as well as being a good place to meet and spend time with others in their own right.Īge UK has more advice about making the most of the internet. You can share emails and photos with family and friends, have free video chats using services such as Skype, Zoom, FaceTime or Viber, and make new online "friends" or reconnect with old friends on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and website forums.Ī smartphone or tablet can be especially useful if you can't get around very easily, as you can sit with it on your knee or close to hand and the screen is clear and bright.Ī sponge-tip stylus pen or speech recognition may help if the touchscreen is difficult for arthritic hands or fingers with poor circulation. If your friends and family live far away, a good way to stay in touch, especially with grandchildren, is by using a personal computer, smartphone or tablet. You can also call Independent Age on 0800 319 6789 or Age UK on 08. Or you can call The Silver Line, a helpline for older people set up by Esther Rantzen, on 08. Having a chat with a friend or relative over the phone can be the next best thing to being with them. Apply online or call Re-engage on 0800 716 543. ![]() You'll be collected from your home and driven to a volunteer host's home for the afternoon. If you'd prefer for someone else to host, Re-engage is a charity that holds regular free Sunday afternoon tea parties for people over the age of 75 who live alone. But often friends, family and neighbours will appreciate receiving an invitation to come and spend some time with you. If you're feeling down and alone, it's tempting to think nobody wants to visit you. If you're shy or not sure what to say, try asking people about themselves. Grab every chance to smile at others or begin a conversation – for instance, with the cashier at the shop or the person next to you in the GP waiting room. ![]() Here are ways for older people to connect with others, and feel useful and appreciated again. It's important to remember loneliness can – and does – affect anyone, of any age. There's a stigma surrounding loneliness, and older people tend not to ask for help because they have too much pride. Someone who's lonely probably also finds it hard to reach out. Whatever the cause, it's shockingly easy to be left feeling alone and vulnerable, which can lead to depression and a serious decline in physical health and wellbeing. People can become socially isolated for a variety of reasons, such as getting older or weaker, no longer being the hub of their family, leaving the workplace, the deaths of spouses and friends, or through disability or illness. Hundreds of thousands of elderly people are lonely and cut off from society in this country, especially those over the age of 75.Īccording to Age UK, more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. But there are ways to overcome loneliness, even if you live alone and find it hard to get out. Older people are especially vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation – and it can have a serious effect on health. ![]()
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