1 in 3 elderly people suffer from loneliness

More than 33% of older people are suffering with loneliness that leaves them living with neighbours they barely know a study suggests.

The polling conducted jointly for Age UK and the young people’s charity YouthNet found that 34% of people aged over 65 admitted they feel lonely some, most or all of the time.

Based on the findings, the 2 charities calculate that the average Brit lives within 71 yards of at least one person who suffers from loneliness – or in some places as little as 18 yards.

In London, by far the most densely populated area of the UK, the loneliness figure was higher than the average at 36%. However, the toll of loneliness was most acutely felt in areas with a higher proportion of older people than average.

In the Yorkshire and Humber region 44% of people aged over 65 said they felt lonely, with 42% in the North East the same.

The 2 charities polled just over 1,000 people aged over 65 as well as similar numbers of under 25s as part of a project to recruit young people to help the elderly get online to help reduce isolation.

For more information on this, please click on any of the following links:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/over-a-third-of-older-people-feel-lonely/

http://www.youthnet.org/2012/09/over-a-third-of-older-people-feel-lonely-says-new-research/

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/35-million-older-people-dont-get-help-or-company-from-their-neighbours/

http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2012/11/22/loneliness-measure-to-boost-care-for-older-people/