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Befriend a granny |
11 February 2005 |
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 How a scheme can stop the elderly from dying alone and lonely
Every year 12,000 old people in Britain die alone and undiscovered. A survey out this month says many elderly people are so lonely they're losing the will to live.
One scheme that's trying to address the problem is the be-a-friend project run by Age Concern in Wandsworth, South London. It pairs volunteers up with elderly people who live on their own and have problems getting out and about. The volunteers usually visit once a week for an hour or so, although sometimes the relationship develops beyond a weekly chat.
Jayne Constantinis has been volunteering with the scheme for three years. Her current friend is 87 year old Betty Ayton, who she's been visiting for almost a year. Sharmini Selvarajah caught up with Jayne on one of her weekly visits.
Age ConcernDisclaimer
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