Scotland's first 24-hour helpline for older people

Silver Line Scotland - 0800 4 70 80 90 -launches today for every older person who needs information, friendship, advice and protection from abuse or neglect. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour service and as well as the helpline, trained volunteers will become Silver Line Friends providing regular friendship calls.

Silver Line Scotland is being delivered in partnership by Age Scotland and Esther Rantzen's charity The Silver Line Helpline - which launches across the UK today.

Results of a new UK survey suggest that 9 out of 10 older people (87%) would find "a chat on the phone" helpful in combatting loneliness. And yet in the survey of more than 1000 people over the age of 55 conducted by ComRes, one in 4 older people say they never or seldom have a chat on the phone (25%).

The survey findings suggest around 240,000 people aged 55 and over in Scotland, and 2.5 million in the UK as a whole, often feel lonely (15% of the population over 55). Given that there is a stigma attached to admitting loneliness, this figure may be the tip of the iceberg.

Loneliness causes serious physical and mental damage. According to the Department of Health in London, loneliness has been estimated to be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and twice as damaging as obesity.

Esther Rantzen, Chair and Founder of The Silver Line said: "It is tragic that older people are so undervalued and isolated that they believe life is not worth living and that they are no longer part of the human race.  The new Silver Line with its free 24 hour number 0800 4 70 80 90 will be the single memorable number we hope all older people will turn to when they need information, friendship or protection. We will signpost them to the services in their community and by showing them we value them and care about them, we will restore their confidence and feelings of self-worth.

"We are so delighted to be working with Age Scotland to deliver Silver Line Scotland. All Scottish callers during office hours will be answered by Silver Line Scotland; outside those hours, calls will be answered in our UK Helpline HQ.

Brian Sloan, Chief Executive of Age Scotland, said: "We take information and advice calls from around 12,000 people a year on a wide range of issues from care costs and benefits to keeping warm in winter. We're very excited that this partnership is allowing us to extend this service, offering older people across Scotland access to accredited information, advice and now friendship.

"We realise for some that the phone call may be just the start. And through our network of more than 850 Age Scotland members groups across the country, we will be able to help callers find out what else is in their community, such as lunch clubs, art centres or men's sheds."

The Silver Line's national launch has been made possible by a grant from the Big Lottery Fund of £5million over two years.  Age Scotland's Information and Advice service is funded via charitable donations and support from the Scottish Government.

Health Secretary Alex Neil said: "It is vital that older people, their carers and families know there is somewhere they can trust to give them accredited advice on the wide range of issues that can affect them.

"The Scottish Government is pleased to continue its support of Age Scotland's Information and Advice service and are delighted that it is supporting the charity to become a strong partner in Silver Line Scotland - a venture which will be key to helping to address the loneliness and isolation which affects too many of our older people."

Esther Rantzen said: "Silver Line Scotland is free to callers and befrienders but the cost of telephone calls, of running the helpline 24/7, of volunteer recruitment and training is met by the The Silver Line and Age Scotland and depends on the vision and generosity of supporters.

"We hope the public will come to the aid of isolated and vulnerable older people who have contributed so much and now desperately need our help."