Call on us if you’re feeling lonely this Christmas

Covid has made more older people feel isolated, writes Brian Sloan

Children are excitedly opening their Advent calendars and counting the days until Santa arrives and, while Christmas might not be quite normal, most of us are looking forward to a break and celebrating with our “bubbles” (and a bottle of bubbly maybe).

But tens of thousands of older Scots are dreading the festive season more than ever. They won’t be sharing gifts and silly jokes with loved ones – or even complaining about Zoom office parties. For those on their own, even the usual community lunches and festive outings have been cancelled. Instead it will be just another day, perhaps with a turkey dinner for one in front of the TV.

The last nine months have already taken a huge toll on older people’s mental health. Many have gone months without leaving their homes, with almost no visitors, and their usual social events on hold. The imminent roll-out of vaccines might be a light at the end of what has seemed like an endless tunnel, but there are still several long months of winter to get through.

While we know Christmas can be tough for many, we were shocked by our latest research. As we launched our winter campaign, No One Should Be Alone This Christmas, we found that a staggering 15 per cent of respondents – or around 157,000 older Scots – expected to feel lonely – the highest number ever. And almost six in 10, or around 600,000 over-65s, worried about seeing their family and friends.

Sadly, we fear this is just the tip of the iceberg. Even before 2020, isolation was a hidden epidemic, often underreported due to social stigma. Now levels have skyrocketed, as hundreds

of thousands of older people abruptly lost their support networks. Loneliness can have a serious impact on other areas of our health, leading to an increased risk of heart disease, dementia and depression, to name but a few. Care home residents have been especially affected, with relatives witnessing a dramatic decline in health as visits were severely restricted.

But despite this, there are some rays of hope. The outpouring of support from communities has made a huge difference. An estimated 94,000 older people felt they wouldn’t have got through this year without the kindness of strangers. Age Scotland’s Friendship Line was set up in response to unprecedented demand through our Helpline. As well as information, we found callers increasingly just wanted to talk to someone. Some hadn’t had a proper conversation in weeks. Our team are there ever y weekday to listen, chat about anything, and offer reassurance and support. Many callers look forward to a weekly blether, building a friendship over the phone. Regular callers tell us it has been a lifeline. As one said: “I don’t feel so alone after talking to you.”

As the days darken and we count down to Christmas, demand continues to rise. Thanks to the incredible support from donors, we’re able to train more staff and volunteers and answer more calls than ever before. Whatever 2021 brings, we want to reassure every older person that they don’t have to face it alone. Support is just at the end of a phone line.

Age Scotland’s Friendship Line is available Monday-friday, between 9am and 5pm, on 0800 12 44 222. www.age.scot/ friendship Brian Sloan is Chief Executive, Age Scotland