Sad to have to eat alone

LONELINESS really has reached epidemic status. How shocking that well over one million over-75s will spend the summer eating alone. The sadness is that as we are becoming more socially mobile the elderly are being left behind. Families fracture and the older generation is left in a miserable situation. That’s why charities such as The Silver Line are more important than ever before.

And while it’s a truism, the fact is that other countries treat their elderly far better than we do with extended families living together or at least near one another and it benefits everyone in the end. Young parents gain help with the childcare while the older generation is still seen to be useful and wanted. We should try it over here.

As matters stand, not only are older people having to cope with the physical challenges of ageing but their mental state is being affected by being on their own so much. We must make more of an effort. For shame.