Loneliness has become a major issue amongst elderly people in the UK and is something that can result in significant damage to health. Social interaction and friendships are not only important in helping reduce the risk of mortality or developing certain diseases, but they also help individuals recover when they do fall ill.
There are currently more than 800,000 people who are chronically lonely in the UK, equal to 10% of the elderly population. 17% of elderly people are in contact with family, friends or neighbours less than once a week and more than 10% less than once a month. This is particularly concerning given that more than half of people aged 75 years and over live alone.
Various studies have linked loneliness to declines in both physical health (increased risk of high blood pressure and the onset of a disability) and mental health (greater risk of cognitive decline, dementia, depression and even suicide). It has also been shown to impact upon an elderly person’s ability to maintain independence - individuals can become more reliant on their GP, have a higher use of medication, a higher incidence of falls and are more likely to have to move into an institutional care or nursing home.
Elderly care at home, such as the expert home care service provided by Carefound Home Care, can play a vital role in reducing the risk of loneliness. Elderly people receiving care at home may not always require activities such as help with personal care - they may simply enjoy the companionship of a professional home carer which not only brightens up the day but also brings the benefits of feeling reassured that support is on hand when needed.
Oliver Stirk is a Director at Carefound (www.carefound.co.uk) which is a provider of high quality specialist home care services to elderly people in North Yorkshire, enabling clients to continue to live independently in the comfort of their own home whilst maintaining the highest quality of life achievable.
Their professional team of home carers provides a wide range of home care services including basic help in the home, companionship, personal care, medication help, post-operative rehabilitation, respite care and specialist help such as dementia care and palliative care.
The flexible service ranges from 1 hour to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, including bank holidays, and can also encompass 24-hour live-in care services.