Thousands of over 65s are worried about being lonely this Christmas

Almost 400,000 older people are concerned about being lonely this Christmas in the UK alone according to research conducted by Age UK.

A further 2.5 million older people revealed that they were not looking forward to Christmas with 650,000 stating that the festive season brought back to many painful memories of lost loved ones for them to enjoy the time of year.

The issue of loneliness can have an impact on a range of different people throughout the year however during the winter can leave older people concerned about shorter days, bad weather and being unable to get out.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: “No one should feel lonely at any time of the year. The festive season is usually a time for celebration with loved ones and these figures come as a timely reminder of the scale of the issue.

“People’s social networks often shrink due to life-changing events such as retirement and bereavement which can increase the risk of feeling lonely. Voluntary sector services like Age UK’s have never been more important because funding cuts are forcing many of the local services that help older people stay connected, such as lunch clubs, to scale down or close.”

The services offered by Age UK include weekly visits, friendly phone calls and tea dances, as well as lunch and exercise clubs providing an opportunity for people to engage with their local community and feel less lonely.

The charity is encouraging people to make time to check on any older neighbours or relatives that they have during the Christmas and winter period and to put them in contact with Age UK to ensure they receive support if they need it. Age UK is also accepting donations to help run the national and local support services that it provides for older people within the UK.

Ms Abrahams added: “It is time to take loneliness seriously and that’s why we’re asking everyone to take action by donating today to help us support older people to enjoy the festive season and the year to come.”

Age UK currently provide support for more than six million people across the UK and focuses on producing research and campaigns relating to five key issues. These include money, health and well-being, work and training, leisure and lifestyle as well as home and care.

The charity can be contacted by families and older people who would like advice and support by calling for free on: 0800 169 65 65.