Summertime blues for elderly as season proves just as depressing as Christmas

♦ Summertime can be as lonely as Christmas for old people, a phone service has warned, as it has recorded a seven per cent increase in calls in the first week of the school holidays.

As holidaymakers travel abroad in their droves, The Silver Line, a charity which supports older people, is reporting a record demand for its services during the summer.

Alan Walsh, head of The Silver Line helpline, said: “Even if they do have friends and family nearby, for many older people the “summer ghost-town” phenomenon means the usual familiar faces or people they are in daily contact with suddenly aren’t around – their GP gets in a locum, their postman and local shopkeeper are replaced by holiday cover, while their favourite radio DJ or TV presenter are substituted with stand-ins – and this can compound their sense of loneliness and isolation.”

Dame Esther Rantzen, president and founder of The Silver Line, added: “We should all look out for older people in our community who are left behind during the summer escape – and who, as members of the proud ‘stiff upper lip’ generation, are often hesitant to reach out.

“In the first instance we can stop and have a chat with them on the street, maybe offer to pop in for a cup of tea, or to help them with their shopping.”