Loneliness and the Elderly

 

There has been a lot of discussion recently about the plight of the lonely, particularly the elderly. Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary was quoted yesterday as calling the plight of the ‘forgotten million’ lonely elderly people a ‘national disgrace.’

Mr Hunt, who has a Chinese wife, contrasted the situation with the position in Asia where the elderly are reverenced and respected. Moving the elderly who can no longer live alone to a residential care home is a last – and not a first - option for their families; there is an unspoken social contract that the younger and more able will care for their elderly who need help, and, in return, they will expect to be looked after when they become infirm.

Indeed, a recent poll by the BBC suggested that 48% of all adults experienced loneliness, especially those who live alone and the elderly. This makes sense as the highest number of people who live alone are aged over 65, however, the survey also found that people aged 18 to 24 experience as much loneliness as those aged over 60 (the presumption is that people in their 30s, 40s and 50s are busy working and have a household of children or teenagers).

I can’t speak about the incidence of loneliness in the young but it is certainly a reality for many of the elderly. An elderly friend I visited recently in her care home felt isolated from the other residents, regarded them as not particularly welcoming (or too elderly and infirm to be outgoing and sociable). The staff were young and jolly but could only spend a little time with her. She sorely missed her cat, which had died recently while she was in hospital. Not a reader, she rarely watched TV, had mobility problems and sat by herself from 6.30am until bedtime. If that isn’t loneliness, I don’t know what is.

The good news is that there is a large number of charities and other organisations that try to alleviate the loneliness of the elderly, from Age UK to council workers, to church lunch clubs to day centres. But I suspect that there will always be more people in need than those available to support them and identifying those who are lonely is often difficult, particularly those who still live alone.

So, it makes me happy to be able to give a plug to the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Society. The SVP is an international Christian voluntary association with over 10,000 members – all unpaid volunteers -  in England and Wales. It exists to alleviate poverty and offer direct practical assistance to anyone in need.

Much of the SVP’s work is befriending visits, particularly to the elderly, where it offers a sympathetic ear and practical help. Often all that is needed is some company, but the SVP can also offer practical help if needed, such as transport to the doctor’s, shopping, writing letters, gardening, changing a light bulb and so on. It can also call on the Parish or district SVP group to provide specific items of clothing, furniture or anything else that helps individuals and families get by, sometimes even financial support on a short-term basis. Our Sacred Heart Church SVP volunteers also work with the local prison and hospital chaplains groups, visiting prisoners and patients.

It is fair to say that most SVP members - certainly the ones I’ve met - are no longer young, many are retired and have the time as well as the inclination to do voluntary work. They are naturally sympathetic to and have much in common with the elderly people they befriend, so they relate well. The SVP group at Sacred Heart has been operating since 1907 – more than 100 years ago – although it is safe to say that none of the founding members are still in place!

So, if you know an elderly person who might be lonely, why not check to see if they would like a visit from the SVP?