Hunt: 'Chronically lonely' ignored
A "forgotten million" elderly people are "chronically lonely" as the result of being ignored by society, the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said.
Hunt: We have 'utterly failed' to address loneliness
England should be ashamed of how it treats its elderly, the Health Secretary said in a speech today.
It is a "national shame" that there are 800,000 elderly people in society who are chronically lonely, Jeremy Hunt said.
"We know there is a broader problem of loneliness that in our busy lives we have utterly failed to confront as a society," he said.
"Forty-six percent of people aged 80 or over report feeling lonely some of the time or often. Some five million people say television is their main form of company - that's 10% of the population.
"Each and every lonely person has someone who could visit them and offer companionship.
"A forgotten million who live amongst us - ignored to our national shame."
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Chronic loneliness afflicting elderly 'a national shame'
A 'forgotten million' elderly people suffer from chronic loneliness and social isolation, to 'our national shame', Jeremy Hunt said today.
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How to combat feelings of loneliness
More than a million old people experience chronic loneliness, but there are some simple things that can help defeat these sad feelings.
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'People don't understand how lonely we get'
Winifred Green, 88, lives alone and until recently would go for weeks without speaking to anyone.