16 Dec It won’t be lonely this Christmas 🎺… Fighting loneliness in our retirement communities
Christmas is a period when we get to spend time and make memories with the ones we love. However, this isn’t the case for many. A study from Age UK revealed that around 24% of the older population (equivalent to around 2.7 million people) feel more lonely during the Christmas period than at other times of the year.
The impact of loneliness
Although it is hard to measure loneliness and isolation, there is strong evidence to suggest that sufferers over 50 are more at risk of ill health with:
- Increased risk of premature death from all causes
- 50% Increased risk of dementia
- 29% Increased risk of heart disease
- 32% Increased risk of stroke
- Higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide
It will won’t be lonely this Christmas: how we help reduce loneliness in our communities
Research suggests that when older people have people around them and social activities to be included in, they feel a stronger sense of purpose with a better and longer quality of life.
At AHH, we understand the impact loneliness has on our older homeowners’ health and wellbeing, which is why we make sure that we have plenty of communal space, facilities and social activities across all of our developments. We also have specific community teams on call to provide 24/7 support and a friendly face to all who need it.
Laura Warwick, our Communities Director, puts her heart and soul into creating a strong and sociable environment at every one of our Platinum Skies developments, whether that’s through organising stalls for Christmas fairs, finding live music to entertain the homeowners on a Friday evening, or helping homeowners set up their own groups and activities. Most recently, she’s introduced supper clubs across the developments:
“ Our recent Italian supper club saw 32 people, some of whom had never met before, all sit down together. The evening ended up with lots of singing believe it or not! Watching new friendships develop makes all the hard work and planning worthwhile.”
The effort Laura and her community teams put in doesn’t go unnoticed. Vista homeowners, Frank and Julie Abram, moved into their new apartment just before a tricky lockdown period. Hoping to move to a community full of like-minded people, Frank and Julie were delighted to have such a warm reception when they first arrived, despite the social restrictions.
“During the lockdowns, our Community Managers were organising Pilates and dance classes that we could join from our balcony. It’s amazing that they think of activities to keep everybody happy and yet they manage it. Because of that, we feel that we want to participate in anything that keeps us active and able to interact with other residents.”
At AHH, we are proud to be part of a movement that helps reduce loneliness and isolation in older people. Care, cooperation and compassion are built into our biology and we know that if we can create happy environments where our homeowners have a sense of belonging and companionship, then the communities and the people who live in them will thrive.
Find out more about the life and soul of our communities in our Social Impact Report.