Elderly Residents In Chiswick 'Increasingly Isolated'

Contact the Elderly struggling to get older people to attend events

Groups of volunteers that organise monthly tea parties for isolated people aged 75 and over in Chiswick are struggling to reach older isolated people in their communities, says national charity Contact the Elderly.

Residents in Chiswick are being encouraged to spread the word about the charity’s free monthly tea parties and encourage older people in their areas who live alone and have little contact with family and friends to sign up to attend the groups.

Contact the Elderly’s Izzy Wise, said: “We've been overwhelmed by the response from willing volunteers to the Christmas John Lewis advert and the Bisto Spare Chair Sunday campaign in January but unfortunately we are still not getting to the people who need our help.

"It is increasingly hard to reach isolated older people. They are so often left feeling trapped in their homes - not getting out a lot and not speaking to a single person for days.

"Everyone knows someone on their street or in their local area who could do with getting out of the house and socialising. We urge residents in Chiswick to think about someone who would benefit and ask them to get in touch with me. Our volunteers pick guests up from their homes and accompany them to a Sunday afternoon tea party, often the loneliest time of the week for our guests."

Loneliness amongst older people is getting more and more widespread. An estimated 2.5 million older people are lonely, and eight in 10 people find it difficult to admit to feeling isolated.

Contact the Elderly operates by forming small local groups made up of guests and volunteers. One Sunday afternoon a month each group meets for tea, cake and company. Hosts take it in turns to welcome guests, usually once or twice a year and volunteer drivers take guests safely to the tea party and then home again. This is a free service.

The groups are small, usually so that everyone can really get to know each other.  Guests and volunteers make lasting friendships and afternoons are spent laughing and enjoying each other’s stories.

Izzy Wise would like to hear from anyone interested in joining the groups as a guest and can be contacted via 0208 445 1333 or email izzy.wise@contact-the-elderly.org.uk

February 26, 2016