Blog: Feeling lonely? - we've got some ideas which might help

There are lots of reasons why people feel lonely. For some it might be a temporary thing, but for many it is a daily reality.

We know from our own research that loneliness among older people is extensive and bad for their health. 100,000 older people in Scotland say that they feel lonely all or most of the time, that’s at least one person on every street, and 200,000 will go half a week without a visit or call from anyone. It’s heart-breaking.

For half of all over 75s, their main form of company is their TV, radio or pet.
Age Scotland works tackle loneliness and get more older people connected on a practical level through our Community Connecting service and our helpline, as well as our support for hundreds of older people’s groups and men’s sheds across Scotland.