Those who once fought wars, restarted our economy, laid the foundations for many of the institutions we now benefit from, are some of the most neglected in our society.
So what is forcing 1.9 million older people to feel ‘ignored or invisible’, according to Age UK?
It seems that countless research has concluded that a combination of physical immobility, inability to connect with younger generations, and prejudicial views from others, has made the elderly’s cohesion into our communities more difficult than ever.
In our local borough, Hillingdon, events such as the “Assisted Shopping Day” have become popularised in an attempt to increase mobility and social interaction for the elderly.
A student who attended the event said it was, “very enriching”, and that she had “enjoyed spending time with her older person”. And we both agreed it would be fair to say that the older attendees had just as much fun as the students!
They say loneliness can be as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and with more than 3.6 million older people in the UK living alone, it’s a problem we must tackle as a nation.
It’s as simple as talking to a member of the elderly community, communicating in order to prevent alienation. So next time you encounter an older person, make sure you are doing everything you can to make them feel welcome and comfortable, in our shared community!
