THERE are almost 5,000 older people in Barnsley who do not see or speak to other people from one week to the next, shocking figures from Age UK reveal.
Loneliness and isolation are said to be as harmful to older people as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
But the Chronicle is this week launching a campaign - with the backing of Dan Jarvis MP - to help those who feel isolated or alone, to show there are selfless individuals, groups and organisations out there who want to help.
Research by Age UK shows there are 4,903 people living in isolation in Barnsley.
Charity Contact The Elderly has released the figure, and wants people in Barnsley to volunteer their time to help isolated people break the cycle.
Pamela Walker, the charity’s head of service for Yorkshire, said: “We all need to help our older neighbours and ensure all of them have the opportunity to reconnect with their community. We want to extend our service in Barnsley to reach as many of these isolated older people as possible.
“To extend our service, we need help. We need the people of Barnsley to step forward and volunteer a bit of their time to help us empower their isolated older neighbours to break out of the cycle of social isolation.”
This summer, the Chronicle will feature organisations and groups who help people overcome the feelings of loneliness and isolation.
The Darton Afternoon Club is held every Monday at the Darby and Joan Club. It was formed three years ago, is run by a committee, and averages between 58 and 64 members every week.
Founder Ann Plant said: “Groups like ours are so important, and that just shows by the amount of people that come.
“For the whole two hours, people are doing something; they are talking, or being entertained. They look forward to Monday because they might have spent the whole weekend on their own. We love all of them, they are so lovely and are very appreciative of what we do for them.
“I think we’re so successful because we’ve got a good formula going, which works. It’s somewhere for people to come, where they are welcome and can make friends and where they are spoken to like people and can have camaraderie with people.”
Alec Olsen, of Age UK Barnsley, said if people were on their own, their health was more likely to be poor.
“Loneliness and isolation is a major issue. They are related, but loneliness is about how you feel, and social isolation is more about how many times people are in contact with people.
“In Barnsley, there are places which have been identified as very high risk of social isolation and loneliness.
“I think there is a mental health side to that. If you are not seeing anyone, you don’t have that contact. There is no one keeping an eye on you, and you perhaps become a bit more ‘so what?’ about how you feel and how you are.
“We want people to be good neighbours. It’s an informal way of building lasting relationships.”
Alec said it was sometimes difficult to keep in touch with the outside world and going that extra step by popping to the shop for someone who can’t, or even just checking up on people, can make a massive difference.
Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis said: “My good friend and colleague Jo Cox, who we tragically lost two years ago, worked extremely hard to raise the profile of loneliness amongst the elderly during her short time as an MP. The Loneliness Commission that she set up has prompted a great deal of research and raised awareness of this important issue.
“It is a sad fact that too many people over the age of 65 rely heavily on the TV and radio for company, rarely leaving their home, and often not interacting with another person for a week at a time.
“Research clearly shows that loneliness impacts heavily on a person’s health and well-being. I therefore consider it vital that we tackle loneliness and social isolation amongst our elderly residents in Barnsley. I have visited a number of voluntary groups and organisations working hard to offer activities and events for older people across the borough. This is inspiring to see and makes a real difference, but I know there is still much more work to be done in this area.
“Loneliness should not be an inevitable consequence of getting older. We must make sure that older people can more readily access the support and friendship that that they need.”
