225,000 older people spend an entire week without talking to anyone, according to Age UK.Age UK are declaring a loneliness crisis, following the report that 1.4 million older people suffer from loneliness. Cadbury have teamed up with Age UK to try to tackle this crisis, with their campaign ‘Donate your words’.
So how does it work? As you may have seen, Cadbury have removed words from their Cadbury Dairy Milk bars to raise awareness of this issue and are donating 30p to Age UK for each bar sold. And they are also urging you to get involved and donate your words too.
One older woman described how she felt as if the world just passes her by
Even small conversations can mean a lot to those who experience loneliness, so starting conversations with an older person or calling an elderly relative or friend can make a real difference to their lives. Cadbury released a short film involving older people talking about their experiences of loneliness, which emphasised the importance of talking and having conversations. One older woman described how she felt as if the world just passes her by, and stated, “there is nothing more important than being acknowledged by people”. Although saying “hello” to an older neighbour may seem like a small thing, it makes such a huge difference to those who spend their week without having talked to anyone.
We're donating the words from our bars to help the 225,000 older people who often go a whole week without speaking anyone. #AgeUK
And you can help too.
Tap below to #DonateYourWords
— Cadbury UK (@CadburyUK) September 23, 2019
Comedian Sue Perkins has also been involved in the campaign. She spent 30 hours isolated without speaking to anyone, describing the experience as exhausting as she “felt physically tired within a couple of hours”. While Sue may have found the experience physically exhausting, loneliness can take a toll on a person’s mental health. According to Mind, the mental health charity, loneliness is linked with an increased risk of some mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and stress.
Christmas can be a particularly difficult time when experiencing loneliness.
Although loneliness impacts older people all year round, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time when experiencing loneliness. According to an article by Brighton and Hove Age UK, more than half a million older people do not look forward to Christmas because it brings back memories of those who have passed away and happier times.
Furthermore, 230,000 older people who will be alone on one day during the Christmas period say that they have no choice and that it’s just how things are. So, as we are coming up to Christmas, it is particularly important to engage with older members of the community.
If you would like to get more involved, in Nottingham there are plenty of opportunities to help Age UK’s cause. You could volunteer with Age UK Nottingham and Nottinghamshire or take part in fundraising events. In town, there is an Age UK charity shop where you can volunteer, donate items and also find some bargains.
But loneliness can affect anyone. If you are feeling lonely at university, there is support here for you. The University Counselling Service offers free and confidential support and you can arrange a consultation yourself without needing to be referred by a GP or your tutor.
Anna Stacey
Featured image courtesy of uigers via Flikr. No changes were made to this image. In article image courtesy of @CadburyUK via Twitter. No changes were made to this image.
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