Three million older people have the TV or the radio as their main source of company, new research has revealed.
Stats from Age UK found that 1.5 million of those aged over 65 don’t even leave their home for social events and a further 1.6 million say they don’t have someone to talk to about their feelings.
The research was revealed as Dunelm, the UK’s largest homewares retailer, has today announced the launch of a new three-year partnership with national charity Age UK, during which the retailer has pledged to raise a minimum of £2 million to help create communities that feel like home for older people.
Dunelm’s support will also help combat loneliness through providing practical support both over the phone and through local initiatives.
Loneliness has been declared a global health pandemic by the World Health Organisation and is a daily challenge for a huge proportion of older members of UK communities.
As the Home of Homes, Dunelm’s vision is to create a society in which older people feel at home in a supportive and welcoming community which offers a real respite from the sense of loneliness experienced by so many.
This challenging situation for so many of the UK’s elderly is highlighted by the experience of retired nurse, Val, from Warwickshire, who rediscovered her reason to live with the help of Age UK:
“When I lost my husband, my house felt very lonely, very unknown. I went from room to room and hated every single one because I was on my own, and it seemed pointless. When you feel that somebody like Age UK really cares about you, something inside you comes alive. You can start to live again. You can start to feel. What Age UK does is bring people back to life.”
As part of Dunelm’s stand against loneliness and isolation, every penny raised by their fundraising of at least £2m will go towards practical Age UK support to help older people in their homes and communities. This includes information, advice and friendship delivered over the phone, across the country, as well as frontline support in communities where Dunelm colleagues and customers live across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, delivered by local Age UKs.
Initiatives to be supported by Dunelm’s fundraising will include:
- Home Sweet Home – delivering holistic information and advice to older people in their own homes.
- Telephone Friendship Service – providing friendship calls to older people who might be feeling lonely.
- Information & Advice – helping older people get advice and support over the phone and online.
- Local Community Fund – providing services and activities for older people in communities through local Age UKs.
Nick Wilkinson, CEO, at Dunelm, commented: “It is no surprise to me that so many of our colleagues and customers voted for Age UK to be the new Dunelm national charity. As the Home of Homes, we have a natural role to play in building communities that feel like home for older people and everyone for now and generations to come. We have a fantastic opportunity, both nationally and locally, to make a real difference in combatting loneliness and we are really excited by the partnership.”
Paul Farmer, chief executive, Age UK, said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Dunelm, raising vital funds to help support Age UK’s ongoing work, nationally and locally, to help older people in their homes and communities. ‘Home’ means so much more than bricks and mortar, it’s a sense of belonging, of feeling safe, welcome and appreciated. Sadly, more and more older people are telling us that this simply isn’t their reality.
“Together with Dunelm, we are on a mission to redefine the concept of home for those who are struggling to find warmth, companionship and practical help to do more than simply survive. Whether that’s through advice and friendship delivered over the phone, or via frontline support, this partnership will prove pivotal in expanding our support network to more older service users up and down the country.”
Dunelm will raise funds for Age UK in a number of ways – revenue will be generated by the retailer donating a proportion of the sales of hot beverages and seasonal menu items from their popular Pausa instore cafes, plus revenue from carrier bag sales, charitable initiatives driven by Dunelm store, depot and office-based colleagues, plus customer online donations. Every penny raised will go towards practical Age UK support to help older people in their homes and communities.
