Why a shopping trip can buy happiness for pensioners

Friendly shop staff could help combat loneliness among OAPs, charity says

Imagine if going to the supermarket was the high spot of your day. To many, it would be a sad existence.

And yet for almost a quarter of a million older people in Scotland, that shopping trip is their sole reason to leave the house.

More than 70,000 say they would talk to no one if they didn’t go.

The new research, published by Age Scotland as it steps up its No One Should Have No One campaign to tackle loneliness among older people, highlights just how important retailers are for many older people who may otherwise stay at home.

The new figures show 115,000 oversixties visit a supermarket every day and a further 418,000 go at least 2-3 times per week.

Around 100,000 older people in Scotland are classed as chronically lonely.

Age Scotland is warning that life events such as bereavement, ill health and complex long-term health conditions such as diabetes and arthritis can all give rise to feelings of loneliness which, if left unaddressed, can cause long-term misery.

It can also have serious health consequences, contributing to the development of serious medical conditions such as heart problems, strokes, depression and dementia.

Keith Robson, chief executive of Age Scotland, explains: “A friendly chat with a member of staff working at the till or walking the shop floor can brighten up an older person’s day and do much more good than most of us would ever guess.

“So we would like to encourage every supermarket and everyone who works in one to be outgoing and cheerful with their older customers.

“Loneliness sucks the joy out of life and affects far too many older people, but if we all play our part, there’s a lot we can do to tackle the problem.”

Age Scotland is also encouraging older people and their families can get in touch to see how it could help.

Call its free helpline on 0800 12 444 222, open 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Age Scotland advisers offer essential support on a wide range of issues free of charge.

Loneliness sucks the joy out of life

A trip to the supermarket is a way to help older people counteract the scourge of loneliness.