Starved of pensioners

EXCLUSIVE

MORE than one million pensioners face an entire summer eating every meal alone, a study revealed yesterday.

It could lead to a rise in the number of elderly people suffering from starvation and malnutrition, the research suggests.

The loneliness epidemic means solitary mealtimes are the norm for almost 1.2 million people aged over 75.

Almost a fifth of over-75s go three months or longer without having someone to dine with.

And one in 10 of those admit they have less of an appetite as a result.

The analysis was conducted by Bournemouth University’s Ageing and Dementia Research Centre.

The survey of 1,013 adults aged 50-plus found that more than a quarter of over-75s believe they do not need as much food as they used to.

Some 20 per cent struggle to cook their own food and more than a third regularly skip meals, with nine per cent doing so on a daily basis.

About 1.3 million older people in the UK are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, costing the NHS an estimated £19billion a year.

Professor Jane Murphy, of Bournemouth University, said: “It’s a myth to assume that losing weight and becoming frail are an inevitable or natural part of the ageing process.

“Malnutrition is largely preventable and treatable, and yet this growing problem for our ageing population is often overshadowed by the health concerns of obesity.”

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “The idea that so many older people are forever eating alone is heart-breaking since for most of us enjoying a meal in the company of others is one of the simple pleasures in life.

“Chronic loneliness is not only horrible to experience day in, day out, it can also have a devastating impact on an older person’s mental and physical health.

“It’s wrong to assume that malnutrition and dehydration belong to the past, they are still very much present today, but the reality is that poor nutrition and hydration are often not recognised by older people, families or health care professionals.

“The risk of becoming undernourished increases significantly as people age and it is further complicated by the false assumption that losing weight is a normal part of the ageing process, whereas in fact it is a cause for concern.”

Experts say loneliness, isolation and depression may mean some older people simply lose the motivation to eat and