March 30, 2005
LIVE LONG AND DESPAIR:
Elderly increasingly isolated from society (Lewis Smith, 3/31/05, Times of London)
A GROWING sense of loneliness among pensioners is destroying the self-belief and quality of life of the generation that won the war, a leading charity says.More older people than ever are finding themselves isolated from the rest of society, with almost two million of the elderly spending Easter alone.
Of the more than 1,100 people questioned for a survey published today by Help the Aged, one in five of the 65-plus age group who live alone see members of their family less than once a month; almost one in ten go six months or more between visits.
The fast pace of modern life is blamed by the age group as a prime factor in their dislocation from society with more than two thirds — about three million — feeling out of touch.Some 9 per cent feel completely cut off from society; 21 per cent feel they have been cast off and are of use to no one.
The sense of isolation is intensified because most pensioners have no friends under the age of 30, even though they would welcome greater contact with the younger generations.
The effects of loneliness are to make older people withdraw into themselves, fearful of rebuffs and increasingly doubtful of their own abilities. Paul McCann, director of policy for the charity, said: “We far too often shunt older people into the sidings of life, leaving them without enough money, activity but, above all, human warmth.”
In the focus on self and extension of life they've forgotten everything that makes life worthwhile in the first place. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 30, 2005 10:25 PM
You're right... they forgot to buy themselves a robot to love them.
Posted by: Just John at March 31, 2005 12:57 AMIt's interesting to note that the onus is not on the aged to do anything about their lack of friends.
My wife and brother have their music student's recitals in old folks homes and my parents regularly play violin and piano there as well. It is a good thing and the kids get a chance to do something nice for old people they don't know.
But it's also notable how bitter some of these people are. Not very nice to spend any time with and I can see why no one does.
Posted by: Randall Voth at March 31, 2005 6:45 AMOld people don't get mean and nasty with age. They've always been that way, but these attributes just become exaggerated when they have the leisure to obsess and fixate on their many fantasies of perceived illnesses and ill treatment by everyone and everything around them.
We're experts on this phenomena with an elderly relative, my mother, who is so negative and unpleasant and so unreasonable that none of the family can stand being around her for five minutes. She is causes people forced into her orbit to, as her my daughter puts, dive for the doors.
The old people who are alone or have only very infrequent visitors may very well have brought it on themselves. As I type these words, I am dreading a visit I must make this afternoon and just the thought of it, is making my stomach tie up in knots and try as I may, I often lose my temper at her irrational outbursts. She is in excellent health and refuses to take any psychotropic drugs that will cause her to have a brighter outlook on life.
So be it. It's her life and she will live it alone.