There are 580,000 older people living in New Zealand and more than 40,000 suffer from social isolation.
“Many of those people are living alone, and they have lost connection with their families…. they haven’t made the networks that possibly they could make, and possibly should make.” Age Concern chief executive Ann Martin says
Age Concern met with the Minister for Senior Citizens this week to brief him on the issues facing older New Zealanders, including this growing number of senior citizens suffering from chronic loneliness.
A new report in Ireland has found that loneliness is also the biggest problem faced by older people living alone in that country
The Irish report covers attitudes to growing old, the younger generation, family links, income support, crime, housing, religion and employment.
Source
- TV3
- Image: Exclaim.ca