Christmas all alone a miserable prospect for many
Many older single people dread the coming of the festive season as feelings of loneliness and isolation are intensified at this time of the year. Volunteer projects can make all the difference...
Mother Teresa was once quoted as saying, “loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty”.
Sadly, this is so very true for thousands of isolated older people in our communities in Wales at Christmas time.
But there is an abundance of selfless volunteers who give up their time to offer the elderly some much-needed festive cheer.
Jane Platts, who works for Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale, is organising a party for senior citizens in Llantwit Major who would otherwise find themselves alone on Christmas Day.
She said: “You cannot underestimate the importance of the role of volunteers in events like this.
“Without people giving their time on Christmas Day it would not be possible.”
On what is traditionally seen as a day for spending time with family and loved ones, more than 11,000 elderly people in Wales have no-one to keep them company on December 25.
And according to the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) statistics, more than 16,000 people aged over 75 feel lonelier on Christmas Day than at any other time of the year.
Jane said loneliness and isolation can seriously impact the health and wellbeing of older people over Christmas.
She added: “Christmas is a very special time, but for many it is also a time that reinforces feelings of loneliness.
“The importance of events like Christmas meals with friends and the opportunity to socialise and be given happy memories cannot be underestimated. The absolute joy of doing something like this is not just the lunch on Christmas Day, it’s the wider impact it has.”
Winter is often a very frightening and distressing time for elderly people.
In the last financial year more than 50,000 people aged 85 and over paid a visit to Welsh A&E departments – a 6.2% increase on the 47,960 seen in the preceding 12 months.
The increase in patient numbers was put down to a rise in flu cases and a growth in chronic health conditions among the elderly population.
And the Office of National Statistics revealed that 2,600 more people died in Wales last winter compared to the rest of the year.
For those who survive but continue to have underlying health problems, Christmas can be a distressing experience.
More than 40% of older people across the UK wish they had someone to spend the day with, while 44% say they expect the day to go by without seeing anyone at all.
Speaking from her own expe- rience, Charlotte, a 70-year-old widow from Cardiff, said she dreads Christmas every year.
“For years we had five Christmas trees and trimmings all around the house and people staying with us,” she said.
“My house was Christmas and my late husband was ‘Mr Christmas’. But you wouldn’t know it was Christmas if you came to my house now.”
Since losing her husband Charlotte said that her life is now often confined to the house, as she feels unable to reach out to anyone around her.
“People who know me would be surprised to learn that I’ve felt like ending it many times,” she said.
“The fact is that there are thousands of people like me.
“Older people are crying out for help and we need to be prepared for isolation and loneliness because it can happen overnight.
“People don’t understand what isolation and loneliness are about until it happens to them.”
But Shelley Bird, from Age Connects Morgannwg, has come to the aid of many elderly resi- dents in her area of Pontypridd – by being involved in a Christmas Day lunchtime treat for senior citizens.
She said: “Research has shown that more than 75% of women and a third of men over the age of 65 live alone in Wales.
“Often isolated in their own home, or with fewer visits from busy family members, community workers and service providers, it can lead to physical and mental health issues.
“Working with vulnerable older people in my role at Age Connects Morgannwg, I see the huge difference that simply giving some of your time can make to a person”.
On a national level, Age UK has been selected by John Lewis as the chosen charity for their #manonthemoon advert, which shows a lonely older man living all alone on the moon.
But here in Wales, Age Connects and Age Cymru are appealing to members of the public to donate gift bags with treat items and essentials for older people this Christmas.
People can drop off gift bags at the nearest Age Connects or Age Cymru shop.
They will then be distributed in time for Christmas to local older people who may have just been discharged from hospital or find themselves isolated and alone.
To find out about your local Age Connects charity in Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend and Rhondda Cynnon Taff and how you can show your support, please call 029 2068 3604.