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14 March 2013 09:22
Older people are in the grip of a "loneliness epidemic", according to research.
A "loneliness epidemic" is sweeping Britain - with the average person over 65 spending more than 100 days alone each year, a new survey says. This age group spends a total of more than 66 million hours alone every day, according to a report commissioned by the Associated Retirement Community Operators (Arco).
The study found almost a quarter of over-65s (24%) were lonely some or most of the time. Modern life means many people's families live overseas, but the latest research may remind grown-up children living abroad to invite their parents for a visit, reminding them to arrange seniors travel insurance first.
Nearly one in five (18%) of over-75s sometimes go a full weekend without seeing and speaking to another human being. Opinium Research's survey of 1,030 people aged over 65 found they spend an average of 6.4 waking hours alone each day.
Multiplied by the UK's 10.4 million over-65 population, this gives a figure of more than 66 million hours spent alone each day. Arco chairman Jon Gooding said: "We are in the grip of a loneliness epidemic."
19 April 2018
A self-injected smart drug may be the key to easing and preventing pain for migraine sufferers.
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17 April 2018
Despite its reputation as a party drug, ketamine is licensed as an anaesthetic. A recent US study found use of the drug via a nasal spray led to "significant" improvements in depressive symptoms in the first 24 hours.
Simple brain-training exercises carried out at home have been shown to reduce emotional stress in female breast cancer survivors, it's recently been revealed.
13 April 2018
Drinkers who consume more alcohol than UK guidelines suggest could be cutting years off their lives, according to new research.
12 April 2018
A recent study has revealed that people who sustain brain injuries are at an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.
11 April 2018
Scientists have announced their latest breakthrough in the battle against Alzheimer's disease, after neutralising a high-risk gene in a human brain cell for the first time.
07 April 2018
The Philippines is set to shut its most famous holiday island of Boracay for six months, after the President described it as a "cesspool".
05 April 2018
Taxes on soft drinks, alcohol and tobacco - nicknamed "sin taxes" - could be a powerful step towards combating rising rates of chronic diseases worldwide, research has suggested.
New "one-stop shops" to speed up cancer diagnosis are being trialled across the country for the first time.
30 March 2018
Doctors should tell patients that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking but not without risk, according to new national guidance.
29 March 2018
Young people suffering from mental health problems are finding it hard to get the support they need, a survey has revealed.
28 March 2018
Children exposed to epilepsy drugs in the womb may achieve poorer test results at school, a study has suggested.