Millions of over-65s spending days alone

MILLIONS of pensioners are spending whole days alone.

A typical Briton aged over 65 has no one to talk to for as long as eight hours on a daily basis, a survey reveals today.

And more than half of those aged over 85 have to while away 10 hours a day on their own.

But despite the lack of companionship, the vast majority of elderly people say they want to stay in their own home rather than face old age in a care home.

It has been estimated that as many as two million over-50s will be living a lonely isolated life in seven years time.

Chronic loneliness can seriously affect people’s health which could have a serious knock-on effect for the NHS.

Pensioners’ charities have repeatedly warned about the human cost of isolation and have called on the Government to introduce a “loneliness test” for all policy proposals.

Isolated

Groups such as Age UK have also urged policymakers to target help towards people at key times such as divorce or bereavement.

Today’s findings, from a poll of more than 2,000 over-65s, show that while they may be isolated and need care, two-thirds of those quizzed said they wanted to stay in their own homes.

In fact, one in five claims leaving would be as traumatic as a bereavement and another one in 10 worries that their family would stop visiting.

Overall 70 per cent of over-65s would prefer to stay in their home with a visiting carer.

And nearly half of those having such a carer say they feel like they are seeing a friend every day.

Martin Jones of in-home care provider Home Instead Senior Care, which commissioned the survey, said: “No one should have to feel alone or be forced to move out of their home. Companionship is a powerful resource for a person’s wellbeing – it speaks for itself when almost half of those asked feel that their visiting carer means they are seeing a friend every day.”