“I think years ago older people really used to struggle; now elderly people can’t really grumble”
Female, early 70’s
“I meet people on the bus...they say they are lonely but there is no need to be lonely because of these clubs”
Female, early 70’s
“Would be nice to have something like flower arranging...they don’t do enough that is mentally stimulating”
Female, early 70’s
“Be nice to have days out”
Female, mid 70’s
“We need more men to dance with...I think they are a little shy”
Female, early 70’s
“It’s strange when they get old, they don’t like to ask for help...all day sat at home, it must be terrible...just telling them about these things, telling them to come along, there are other people like you”
Female, early 70’s
“I think ethnic minority people are perhaps quite wary but we would like them to come along because we could learn from them and them from us, because it’s a two way street.”
Female, mid 70’s
"They (men) need something to keep them occupied like dominoes or cards"
Female, mid 60’s
• 60% of people aged 65 and over have a long-standing illness
• 1 in 6 people aged 65 and over suffer from depression
• 16% of those aged 65 and over are carers of sick or disabled relatives or friends
• Pedestrians aged 60 and over have more accidents than other adults.
• One in five older people living in deprived areas are likely to be socially excluded, and one in seven is likely to be severely lonely. Nearly a third of people over 65 do not see any friends at least once a week.
• One in five people aged 65 and over are alone for more than 12 hours a day.
"The same survey identified that more than a quarter of people over 65 do not have a best friend, which is higher than any other age group. A third of people over 65 see their local supermarket as somewhere to socialise and get out of the house and one in five people eat their meals there rather than at home"
