So this is how 21st century Britain repays proud old folk
Isolation is an epidemic ‘we must tackle’
LONELINESS is a dangerous epidemic which can affect sufferers’ lives, Britain’s top GP warned yesterday.
Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said a national campaign was needed to raise awareness of the issue.
Loneliness can be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to previous research.
Prof Stokes-Lampard said isolation prompts millions of OAPs to attend surgeries simply because they want human contact and someone to talk to.
She said: “Moments of meaningful connection really do matter, but for some people, they are elusive – for some, they might only get these when they see their GP.”
Prof Stokes-Lampard suggested that a campaign could help to break down some of the barriers that are keeping lonely people lonely.
She added “Loneliness is not a medical condition, but it can affect our patients’ health. It can also have a real impact on workload pressures in general practice and the wider NHS.”
The RCGP has drawn up plans to employ a social prescriber at every practice to help patients find support.
An estimated 1.1 million people over 65 are chronically lonely in the UK and more likely to develop heart disease, depression and dementia with e a 50 per cent increased risk of early death.
The Local Government Association found isolation can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, adding: “There needs to be greater public awareness of loneliness.” I COMMEND the Daily Express for its excellent campaign to highlight the need for a dedicated minister for older people and hopefully ensure they, to whom we owe a huge debt of gratitude, are treated with the dignity, care and respect they deserve.
Latest research on digital discrimination is another shocking indictment of the way so many older people are treated in Britain today.
The most worrying aspect is that it is Government itself which is discriminating against older people.
People already in their late 70s or 80s, who had no opportunity to learn about technology, cannot be expected to master online transactions at this stage of their lives. Many may be disabled or live alone, which makes such age discrimination particularly heartless.
These people built Britain into the success it is today, often served loyally in wartime, then worked hard to rebuild the country in the post-war years. They have sacrificed much for our country. We must not let them down.
Housing and council tax benefits can be a lifeline for older people. It seems many are being denied this money just because they cannot cope with filling in online application forms. Many will still be alive for another 20 or more years and must be allowed to claim their entitlements for many years into the future.
Many elderly people have nobody to help them fill in online forms, or are too proud or embarrassed to ask for help. So they go without. This is