Monday, December 26, 2011

The season of good cheer?

A quarter of a million people aged 75 and over spent Christmas Day alone, according to a survey. And 40 per cent of those who were on their own had children living in the UK.

And for the rest of the year - about 370,000 over-75s spend “zero hours” with other people on a typical day.

The Centre for Social Justice executive director, Gavin Poole said: “For so many to spend Christmas day alone while their family celebrates elsewhere is a modern tragedy.”

Janet Morrison, chief executive of Independent Age, added: “Sadly the figures suggest being alone, and being alone on Christmas Day, is more prevalent amongst older people than many of us would like to believe or should be prepared to accept.”

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