The pandemic has made life much harder for older people but don't just take our word for it, this is a comment from just one of the hundreds of older people we support:

Being confined at home for long periods has left significant numbers of older people in Shropshire and Telford with reduced mobility, anxiety, low mood, lack of confidence and immense fear of contracting Covid-19.

As a local charity supporting local older people we are seeing an upsurge in demand for our services, from help at home, befriending, dementia support, wellbeing activities to information & advice.

- The proportion of over 70s experiencing depression has doubled since the start of the pandemic

As restrictions lifted and families are able to visit loved ones theyve seen a rapid deterioration in cognitive function, which has affected memory, sleep, mood, and behaviour. This is particularly noticeable in people living with dementia.

- One in five older people agreed that since the start of lockdown, they are finding it harder to remember things

- Older people from more disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds have been more severely affected, both mentally and physically.

- One in five older people feel less steady on their feet

We have experienced a drop in donations with many of our fundraising events cancelled during the pandemic, we need to raise funds to meet the rise in demand to help more local older people.

You can help an older person in your community regain their confidence and independence by donating to our Covid Recovery Fund today.

Thank you