Tips for helping the elderly who may feel lonely this Christmas

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year for many people. But it can be a lonely time for the elderly.

The charity Age UK found that 1.4 million older people across the UK expect to feel lonely at Christmas.

The survey shows that nearly a million older people don’t have anyone to celebrate Christmas with this year and around 675,000 over-65s are feeling fed up about this, around 625,000 are feeling depressed, around 400,000 feel forgotten and around 250,000 feel anxious.

Source: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/articles/2021/december/well-over-a-million-older-people-expect-to-be-lonely-this-christmas

But there are things we can do to help

 

Go and see elderly relatives, friends and neighbours

If you have family members or neighbours who will be alone you could offer them a place at your Christmas table, or just pop in and visit them at some point during the day or some time around the Christmas period.

Give them a call

If you can’t physically be with a family member, then call them instead.  Let them know they are not forgotten. 

Help with Christmas decorations

Many people living alone don’t put up any Christmas decorations, but this can make a big difference and help to bring back happy memories.

Help out at a Christmas event at a local community centre or church

Charities such as Community Christmas and Contact the Elderly help volunteers to organise events and tea parties.

Drive an elderly neighbour to an event

You could help encourage an elderly person to go to an event over the festive season by offering to drive them.

Here is a useful resource list of things you can do to help.

Call In Time

Call in Time is Age UK’s free telephone befriending service which provides regular calls to isolated or lonely older people aged over 60. The service matches that person up with a likeminded person who will begin regular calls.

 For more information, please visit: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/services/befriending-services/sign-up-for-telephone-befriending

Christmas Day Matching

Re-engage have many social events in the Wales, Birmingham, West Yorkshire, or Bristol and the South West areas.

  

'Be Our Guest' campaign

Re-engage launched their 'Be Our Guest' campaign this year, encouraging people to think about older neighbours or people in their community who might enjoy trying out one of their tea parties for the first time, and Christmas is a great time to make a start.

They have developed discreet 'invitation to tea postcards' which you can download, print and pass on to an older person in your neighbourhood. Or you can download and print flyers or posters and help spread the word about the campaign where you live, work or spend your time.

Give the gift of friendship

You can also become a friend, ensuring Contact the Elderly is able to continue developing groups in areas where there is a high demand for our service as well as helping maintain our existing groups. Find out more about becoming a friend

There are many ways you can make a real difference to an older person at Christmas.

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