I make no apology for this post, as it is slightly off subject and yet shows clearly how being denied contact is so debilitating, causing loneliness and isolation.
There is no doubt that we have many things to be proud of in modern society, but in my view we have an awful lot to be ashamed about.
As you know Esther Rantzen set up The Silver Line a 24 hour helpline for older people, in her article yesterday she said that the helpline has had 100,000 calls in the first six months.
Just think about that a moment.
Why are we living in a society that is leaving our elderly population feeling so lonely, so isolated that there is a need for a helpline just for them.
Personally I am ashamed at that statistic.
Where are the families of this older generation, I completely understand that sometimes you need to talk to people other than your family, but I know from people we do gardens for, they go months and months without even a phone call from family members.
How long does it take to pick up that phone?
Of course everyone is busy and running hectic lives, charging about hither and thither, we need to pause and just think what it is like to go home to an empty house, day after day.
If I remember Esther's quote correctly she says, "I have lots of people to do things with but I don't have anyone to do nothing with."
Most of our generation and as I am 61 I am one of the older generation, don't want to be a bother. We know how busy our families are so we suffer often in silence.
Loneliness is a modern disease, in my opinion an unacceptable disease, and one that is preventable.
What would this modern society be without the volunteers of organisations such as The Silver Line, people who sit and listen just when someone needs them, a friendly voice at the end of the phone and a befriending service.
I thank them all.
If you have an elderly relative, when did you last speak to them, drop in with a bunch of flowers, take them to the pub for a pint?
Or how about your neighbour, when did you last see them, ask them if you could get their shopping for them ask them in for a cuppa?
It's not rocket science, everyone wants to be needed, if you feel you are not what is the point?
A word for our younger generation, just remember you will get older too, quicker than you think.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk
Not being able to see my grandkids makes me feel so alone.
ReplyDeleteI'm not in my 60's yet but feel that lonlieness now because I have been denied access to my grandchildren. I have recently split up and live on my own. On hearing my 92 year old mother in law had cancer I took to going to visit her, I had not seen her for years as she was not a nice person but my brother in law said nobody else was going to visit her. I couldn't see that old woman die on her ownn even though she has an acid tongue. She wonders what she has done wrong that her family and granchildren don't visit.. But the past is the past and nobody should die alone because we don't know what's round the corner for us.
ReplyDeleteEveryone within the family is precious.
ReplyDeleteSo sad that this appears to be on the rise, is it because families are now separated because of where they might be working? I know with my own family they work and live 100 miles away from me, so not so easy to pop in for chat.
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