The irony, when we are children, is that we want to grow older and taste independence but we don’t want to even think about aging past our thirties. However, the reality is that we will never stop growing and will continue to do so without any pauses. Many hide their insecurities by insisting they are still a ‘kid at heart’ while others may take refuge in a family they build themselves. Even though this isn’t bad, loneliness in elderly people seems to be a growing problem.
Charities such as Age UK (who work often and tirelessly with the elderly) estimate that over 200,000 old people haven’t “had a conversation with friends or family for a month” and many say “the television is their main form of company.”
Is this right?
In an age where social media is extremely prevalent, practically connecting the globe in multiple tiny devices, there are still those who have nobody to turn to but loneliness. Even though it may just be a feeling, loneliness can affect your health in various ways such as: weakening your immune system, having a direct physiological impact on the body and some say it might just be a bigger health risk compared to obesity and smoking.
Fortunately, Age UK offers a volunteering programme in which people can sign up to talk to old people in their area for thirty minutes to an hour. Even having a conversation for once a week could greatly boost their health. Will you look into it?
Khadijah Bint-Ahad.
