This month saw the headline ‘Elderly Britons loneliest in Europe’ prompted by a study carried out by the WRVS and called the European Social Survey. The study had questioned participants from the UK, Germany, The Netherlands and Scandinavia. The UK’s elderly who took part showed that many of them felt lonely all or some of the time, they rarely socialised and infrequently took part in any physical exercise.
Here’s the video about it and the information in the video is worth watching. Let us know in the comments what you thought.)
Meanwhile Age Concern reported that Professor Lewis Wolpert’s book publish in April 2012 suggests that old age is the happiest time of our lives! So who’s right?
Well Wolpert defended his claim, “We now live longer than at any time in history. In the UK more people are aged sixty-five than under sixteen.”
He also claims that teenagers and the elderly are the happiest and that our mid life years are the least happy. A study of 341,000 people in America seemed to prove this point too. Carried out by the National Academy of Sciences in America there was support for maximum happiness being achieved in peoples’ late 70s and 80s.
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Although psychologist Susan Quilliam tends to agree she also agrees there will be exceptions, “Nobody lives in a state of permanent happiness. If you aspire to this, you’re always going to feel disappointed and dissatisfied. It’s more helpful to seek contentment and appreciate the moments when you do feel uplifted.”
She continues, “Spending time with friends or family, listening to music or admiring a beautiful view can all help to boost our mood, no matter that our personal circumstances.”
If you’re lonely why not join a social group, a gardening club – garden centres often run these – or learn something new? Take a painting class or join the University of the Third Age. These are all good places to meet people with shared interests and would also give you something to look forward to on a regular basis. Check your local library to discover groups and clubs that you could join.
Not brave enough to join in? Learn more about the U3A with this video below
And to see how the citizens of Kiev in Russia are socialising and getting some exercise in their later years see the video below. Can you see this catching on at British Rail? on the Metro? What about on the London Underground? It would certainly make the wait for the train more entertaining!