Age UK Oxfordshire has launched its third winter campaign to combat the epidemic of loneliness. The campaign will run until January 31st 2017.   

Staggeringly, as many as 11,000 older people in Oxfordshire go for a month without speaking to anybody. As well as this having detrimental effects on mental health including being more prone to depression (Cacioppo et al, 2006), there are physical consequences of social isolation. Research suggests that loneliness is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Holt-Lunstad, 2015).   

But loneliness is preventable. 

One way that Age UK Oxfordshire works to combat loneliness is through our Phone Friends telephone befriending service. Currently over 280 of the most lonely and isolated people in Oxfordshire are receiving at least one call a week from one of our 45 caring and friendly volunteers. 

Our Phone Friends are some of the loneliest and isolated people in society, home-bound or even bed-bound, unable to take advantage of other services such as lunch clubs or activities and often feeling forgotten and overlooked as a result. It is vital that this service, the Information and Advice line and other Age UK Oxfordshire services receive funds in order to continue. As you can imagine, one phone call from a phone friend can be a lifeline.   

You can make a real difference to the lives of older people across Oxfordshire. 

 £10 would enable our Phone Friends volunteers to make 5 friendly calls to isolated and vulnerable older people. 

£30 would provide opportunities for 3 older people facing the future following the loss of a loved one to find friendship in a support group. 

£60 would provide 3 isolated people with expert information and advice that helps connect them to people, activities and friendship locally.  

Together we can help everyone Love Later Life. Thank you.