The awful effects of isolation
LAST year, a special investigation by The Sunday Post revealed the deadly epidemic of loneliness blighting Scots old and young.
Our Forget Me Not campaign looked at how we could combat the problem and the terrible toll it is having on our society.
Our probe discovered the pressures faced by charities as they struggled to cope with the huge demand placed upon them.
Astonishingly, 100,000 Scots admit to feeling lonely some or all of the time. Given half of those aged 75 and over live on their own, it’s likely many will be elderly.
Studies have also shown the number of lonely older people is soaring as families and friends have less time to spare.
However, the elderly aren’t the only ones being cut off, with younger people often suffering the same isolation.
Overall, one in five people now live on their own – many of them struggling with loneliness.
Tragically, the effects of this social isolation can have a hugely detrimental effect on their health.
Along with raising a person’s chance of dying by 10%, chronic loneliness has been found to cause conditions including heart disease, cancer and depression – as well as malnutrition.
Today, social isolation is often unavoidable. Busy lifestyles are taking their toll on the isolated.
But there are moves afoot to turn this worrying situation around.
Charities, government and other organisations are working hard to identify and tackle the problems at the root of the loneliness epidemic.
If more organisations make a commitment to doing what they can to help, like Drakies Primary, then we can beat this thing.