The difference we make
Why people need our support
Loneliness and social isolation are significant issues faced by older people in England. Recent statistics show that more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. Age UK reports that over 1.4 million older people in the UK regularly experience loneliness, with approximately 1 in 10 older people always or often feeling lonely.
Loneliness can have serious effects on both mental and physical health. Social isolation can lead to depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. Tackling loneliness and social isolation is crucial for improving older people’s overall health and wellbeing.
Support for Elmbridge’s older residents
Thanks to the contributions of our staff, volunteers, trustees, partners and supporters, our year to the end of March 2024 was another very positive one:
We supported over 100 clients with over 40 volunteers providing regular home visits, telephone calls, contacts and popular events
- We provided 28 befriending clients with one-to-one befriending, providing over 6,000 hours of support throughout the year
- We secured almost £300,000 worth of unclaimed benefits for 65 clients
- We hosted 16 successful events, many with added activities, for over 450 guests
- We ran the Parkinson’s Group for an average of 8 participants every Monday for 43 weeks of the year, equating to 350 instances of beneficial impact
- We worked closely with our many local partners to take referrals and to signpost clients to relevant support services.