Three quarters of people aged over 65 who live in London feel lonely – despite living within an hour of a relative.

The Stannah Silver Census questioned 1000 pensioners around the country: those in Wales and the North fared best, with 61% and 64% respectively saying that they sometimes felt lonely.

Even the most positive result paints quite a dismal picture, with almost two thirds of those surveyed admitting to loneliness. 75% think that Britain is a less sociable place than it was 30 years ago, with most people saying that we are too busy to spend time with each other now.

It may seem difficult to find time for older friends and relatives who may be lonely, but there are new possibilities offered by technology: if you can’t visit in person, a video call makes a great substitute, and when you don’t have time to chat, how about a text message or email, just to let them know that they aren’t forgotten?

Tablet computers have encouraged a big increase in internet access amongst people over 65, but if your older friend or relative is one of those people who aren’t confident about using technology to stay in touch, you could perhaps encourage them to make a start. Age UK has computer classes for beginners all over the country: once they get over their initial fears, most people find that “virtual” activities are a great enhancement to their lives, making new friends and discovering new interests – or rediscovering old ones!

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