Loneliness on the rise for older people in Sussex, charity warns
A survey from Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove has found it's up 5% in the past 18 months
A charity supporting older people in Sussex says loneliness is on the rise -and it's receiving thousands of referrals over social isolation.
A survey from Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove has found it's up 5% in the past 18 months.
Wider research from the charity found across the South East, hundreds of thousands of older people "feel forgotten" or worry about burdening family by telling them they're lonely.
Helen Rice, their Chief Executive, said the physical impacts of loneliness are often underestimated:
“Calls we get to our helpline can be incredibly distressing as people describe going for days, or even weeks, without meaningful conversation.
"Studies have also suggested loneliness could be as harmful as obesity, or smoking, so it’s a health issue we should all be taking seriously."
The charity has since launched a fundraiser to go towards recruiting more 'Befrienders', who partner up with an older person and call them each week.
Stacey Cullen, their Head of Localities, added that checking up on a loved one can be done without directly asking them if they're lonely: "You can always start that conversation with what have you been up to today, or what are your plans for this week?
"Maybe somebody hasn't got very much on this week and then that might start to give you some clues that actually what they would like to do is to have some more social connections."