Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
PM Theresa May announces a minister of loneliness to address this public health issue
There's a rampant health issue in Britain that may be worse for one's health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and PM Theresa May has just appointed a person to address it. "For far too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life," May said in a statement, per the New York Times, which notes May has named a "minister of loneliness" to tackle the problem.
PM Theresa May announces a minister of loneliness to address this public health issue
There's a rampant health issue in Britain that may be worse for one's health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and PM Theresa May has just appointed a person to address it. "For far too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life," May said in a statement, per the New York Times, which notes May has named a "minister of loneliness" to tackle the problem.
Loneliness is nothing new, especially in the elderly. They were talking abut it when I was a kid, and that's a long time ago.
Children grow up, and sometimes move far away. It was less common decades ago. I had two aunts who lived only a few minutes walk from my home.
Plus there is much more single households today. Folks choosing to live alone. It's a difficult problem to tackle. I know many elderly complexes in Britain today, are built with a common room, where residents can gather together if they wish. The real problem is with elderly folks living alone.
Tracey Crouch is my excellent local MP and junior minister. In the context of the murder of Jo Cox, there are a lot of isolated dysfunctional men who cause all kinds of problems to society. That's before you even consider countless elderly people whose loneliness might manifest itself in expensive medical treatment. This initiative won't cost much, but might just do some good.
Loneliness is nothing new, especially in the elderly. They were talking abut it when I was a kid, and that's a long time ago.
Children grow up, and sometimes move far away. It was less common decades ago. I had two aunts who lived only a few minutes walk from my home.
Plus there is much more single households today. Folks choosing to live alone. It's a difficult problem to tackle. I know many elderly complexes in Britain today, are built with a common room, where residents can gather together if they wish. The real problem is with elderly folks living alone.
Once again, you’ve hit the nail on the head Dave.
I don’t think that I’d handle living alone at all well, I’m ultra self sufficient, I’m no cordon bleu chef, but I can knock up some good stuff when I’m in the mood, I can handle the washing machine and tumble dryer like a professional, and vacuum the joint, (3 floors), in 35-40 minutes, and the woman hasn’t been born who can iron my shirts as good as me, but I NEED someone to talk to, and bounce ideas off.
My wife works Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and I hear her key in the door usually between 18.35 and 18.55.
If she’s not home by 19.05 to 19.15, my mind starts to race, if she’d gone for a drink with the girls, she’d have called, or texted, has some ISIS s.o.b. put a bomb on the Jubilee Line?
I switch on a rolling News Channel, heart in mouth, yes, I know I’m nuts, humour me.
On the rare occasions that she has a girls weekend or bachelorette party in Lisbon, or Malaga, I’m climbing the walls and talking to myself after 24 hours, I just can’t visualise myself in an empty house, for always.
If that ever came about, living maybe 90 metres from The Thames, near Tower Bridge, I can imagine filling my pockets with rocks, and hopping over the river wall, (on a very hot day you understand), I’m not so brave that I could drown myself in cold water!
Once again, you’ve hit the nail on the head Dave.
I don’t think that I’d handle living alone at all well, I’m ultra self sufficient, I’m no cordon bleu chef, but I can knock up some good stuff when I’m in the mood, I can handle the washing machine and tumble dryer like a professional, and vacuum the joint, (3 floors), in 35-40 minutes, and the woman hasn’t been born who can iron my shirts as good as me, but I NEED someone to talk to, and bounce ideas off.
My wife works Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and I hear her key in the door usually between 18.35 and 18.55.
If she’s not home by 19.05 to 19.15, my mind starts to race, if she’d gone for a drink with the girls, she’d have called, or texted, has some ISIS s.o.b. put a bomb on the Jubilee Line?
I switch on a rolling News Channel, heart in mouth, yes, I know I’m nuts, humour me.
On the rare occasions that she has a girls weekend or bachelorette party in Lisbon, or Malaga, I’m climbing the walls and talking to myself after 24 hours, I just can’t visualise myself in an empty house, for always.
If that ever came about, living maybe 90 metres from The Thames, near Tower Bridge, I can imagine filling my pockets with rocks, and hopping over the river wall, (on a very hot day you understand), I’m not so brave that I could drown myself in cold water!
It's difficult to imagine yourself in a situation where nobody cares if you live or die. Sadly, this happens to many of our elderly. Recently, Judy and I have spent time in a care home, visiting her elderly mother, who died a few months ago.
Judy's mum herself, wondered how it had come to this. It was sad, but she needed care we couldn't provide. It is an eye opener seeing inside these establishments. Under staffed, and under paid. Very compassionate individuals working for peanuts, looking after very old people. Some unable to walk, and many incontinent. Judy's mother's home had a locked section for the poor folks suffering with dementia. I saw some of their faces pressed up against the glass, at the locked door, shouting to me, "let me out..... I want to go home."
It is a sobering sight, which will remain with me. I really don't have any answers, just the hope it won't happen to me, and I will die before reaching such a stage in life. Save some of those rocks for me, just in case.
Once again, you’ve hit the nail on the head Dave.
I don’t think that I’d handle living alone at all well, I’m ultra self sufficient, I’m no cordon bleu chef, but I can knock up some good stuff when I’m in the mood, I can handle the washing machine and tumble dryer like a professional, and vacuum the joint, (3 floors), in 35-40 minutes, and the woman hasn’t been born who can iron my shirts as good as me, but I NEED someone to talk to, and bounce ideas off.
My wife works Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and I hear her key in the door usually between 18.35 and 18.55.
If she’s not home by 19.05 to 19.15, my mind starts to race, if she’d gone for a drink with the girls, she’d have called, or texted, has some ISIS s.o.b. put a bomb on the Jubilee Line?
I switch on a rolling News Channel, heart in mouth, yes, I know I’m nuts, humour me.
On the rare occasions that she has a girls weekend or bachelorette party in Lisbon, or Malaga, I’m climbing the walls and talking to myself after 24 hours, I just can’t visualise myself in an empty house, for always.
If that ever came about, living maybe 90 metres from The Thames, near Tower Bridge, I can imagine filling my pockets with rocks, and hopping over the river wall, (on a very hot day you understand), I’m not so brave that I could drown myself in cold water!
I like to think I'm made of sterner stuff.
I had a life before I met the missus and I'm quite sure I'd have a life if she pegged it before me which is unlikely as she's 20 years younger.
Most people I suspect would grin and bear whatever misfortune comes their way.
I like to think I'm made of sterner stuff.
I had a life before I met the missus and I'm quite sure I'd have a life if she pegged it before me which is unlikely as she's 20 years younger.
Most people I suspect would grin and bear whatever misfortune comes their way.
I would like to think I would be able to cope into old age, if alone. I think it's the ailments of old age, that wears folks down, and can cause depression. That, and loneliness on top.
In my mother-in-law's care home, there was an old lady called Maisie, who had the room opposite my MIL. I sat and talked with her one day, and she was mentally, and physically quite able, even at 91 years of age.
She was puzzled why she was in the care home, and seemed a little confused, even though we could hold a real conversation. She showed me a photo of herself during the war, when she was in the ATS. The photo showed a young vibrant woman, leaning against a vehicle. I found it hard to recognise her in this very old lady.
This is a real complex subject, and down the road, the baby boomers are the next in line to need assistance in old age. This is expensive, and is a massive problem going forward this next 20 years. There are no easy answers.
Status:
"“If a thing loves, it is infinite.”"
(set 1 day ago)
Location: Great Britain
27,163 posts, read 13,449,232 times
Reputation: 19459
There has been some welcome recent news.
If just engaging with someone in conversation can help reduce suicide rates, then this is not to be scoffed at and more of such schemes and trasining needs to be encouraged.
Last edited by Brave New World; 02-04-2018 at 04:56 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
