Winter bills and falls worry over 65s, but few alone at Christmas

New research commissioned as part of Age Scotland and Age UK's Spread the Warmth campaign reveals 71 per cent of people in Scotland aged 65 and older are worried about the increasing cost of energy bills, with 34 per cent concerned that they will be unable to stay warm in their own home. 

More than half (55%) are anxious about falling over on slippery roads and pavements, with 27 per cent worried about not being to able to get out so much because of shorter days and cold / bad weather. 

However making sure older people enjoy company at Christmas seems to be a priority for Scots, with 95 per cent of those polled saying that they will spend a day or more with friends or family (80%) or go away overnight for a longer visit.  Only 6% of those who said that they weren't looking forward to Christmas (one in three) said it was because they would be alone, compared to 18% in the UK as a whole.  The biggest reason, for 37%, was that Christmas brought back too many memories of those who had passed away.

Age Scotland spokesperson Doug Anthoney said: "It's cheering that including older people in Christmas is given such high priority in Scotland.  If we can keep this up through the winter months, and all of 2013, we'll be well on the way to ending the isolation that blights later life for far too many of us. 

"However the scandal of fuel poverty continues to shame us, and fear of winter slips is turning some older people into virtual prisoners in their own homes.  There are actions we can all take to tackle these issues; by supporting the Energy Bill Revolution that could deliver super-energy-efficient and warm homes for older people, and joining our Winter Weather Watch to make sure vulnerable older people's don't get cut off from society and services during extreme winter weather.