Urgent appeal to help elderly residents in Milton Keynes beat loneliness this winter

Age UK Milton Keynes has launched its Winter Imagine Appeal to raise money for older residents and to support offered by the charity to help prevent loneliness and isolation.

Even though pandemic restrictions have started to be lifted, the loneliness experienced by many older people has not disappeared and, in some cases, may have even increased, raising the demand for the services offered.

This, aligned with difficulties in fundraising to support these services, has created a ‘perfect storm’, which is why the charity urgently needs donations.

The money raised will go towards keeping the vital services offered by Age UK Milton Keynes available for the people who rely on them. The services, such as Befriending, Information and Advice, Independent Living, not only provide them with social opportunities to help overcome the isolation they are feeling but also support them to stay in their homes.

The health risks of loneliness are well documented, being compared to the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day1. This, along with mental wellbeing issues, puts even more pressure not only on the sufferers but also on our NHS services.

For example a donation of £15, will help Age UK Milton Keynes provide a Befriender to have a regular chat or visit with a lonely older person. For many of these people, this could be the only contact they have during the week. Most people would find that hard to imagine.

As one of clients who has benefited from the services of Age UK Milton Keynes says ‘I don’t feel invisible anymore, knowing that people care is really comforting’.

To find out more about this Appeal, visit the Age UK Milton Keynes website