Check in on elderly residents

A charity is asking people in Airdrie and Coatbridge to check on their older friends, neighbours and relatives as winter bites across Monklands.

Snow and ice has caused disruption in the area over the past few weeks, meaning many older people have struggled to get to their vaccination appointments at health centres, as well as shopping for essentials.

The winter lockdown has led tens of thousands of older people to feel more isolated than ever, with many reluctant to ask for help.

But Age Scotland’s research found that reaching out could make a big difference, with 94,000 older people saying they would not have got through 2020 without the kindness of strangers.

The charity is also urging older people not to skimp on heating costs, and to make sure they are claiming all the help that is available.

New figures from Independent Age revealed that older people are missing out on an estimated £88 million nationwide in Warm Home Discounts, as four in 10 of those eligible don’t claim Pension Credit.

In Scotland, an estimated 123,000 pensioner households are missing out.

Brian Sloan, chief executive of Age Scotland, said: “Unfortunately, the combination of severe weather and the winter lockdown is creating a perfect storm, putting tens of thousands of older people at risk of isolation and ill health.

“We’re urging everyone not to forget about their older relatives, friends and neighbours during this cold snap.

“Simply picking up the phone or knocking on someone’s door to see if they need a little extra help could make a huge difference, especially if they are feeling isolated and unable to leave their home.”

Ingredients:

Meatloaf

■ 450g beef mince

■ 450g pork sausage meat

■1 cup of breadcrumbs ■1mediumsizedonion,chopped ■ Egg, beaten

■ ½ cup of milk

■ Seasoning

Gravy

■ ½ cup of water

■ ½ cup of tomato sauce

■ ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce ■ ½ cup of brown sugar

■ 2tsp lemon juice

■ 1tsp instant coffee

■ Knob of butter

Sky One, Thursdays at 9pm

Alan Tudyk has been a standout star in a wide variety of roles over the years, so he’s more than up to the challenge of turning his hand to an alien who crash lands on Earth.

There’s fun and games as he takes on the identity of a small-town doctor but Tudyk earns his pathos spurs as he also has to wrestle with moral dilemmas.

The story is based on a comic book and it shows with the playful visuals, which include impressive small screen practical effects.

Sci-fi fans will also get a kick out of seeing Terminator’s Linda Hamilton playing a calculating general on Tudyk’s tail.

Resident Alien ●●●●●