How Do I Tell If My Elderly Neighbour Needs Help? by Kate McLelland
According to Age UK’s report “Later Life in the United Kingdom”, published this year, 3.64 million people in the UK aged 65+ live alone. With so many older individuals living independent lives, it often falls to neighbours to sound the alarm if the behaviour of an elderly person gives cause for concern. So what are the signals that show something may be wrong? WHAT SHOULD I LOOK OUT FOR? Signs such as curtains remaining permanently open or closed, or newspapers left sticking out of the letterbox, can indicate that there may be a problem. The first step should be to knock on your neighbour’s door. If they answer, try to engage them in conversation, and if you are invited in, use your visit as an opportunity to check how they are living. Does the house look clean and tidy? Is it warm? Are pets being cared for properly or are there signs of neglect, such as overflowing litter trays?
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If you’ve made several attempts to knock on the door but there’s no answer, you could ask people in neighbouring properties if they have seen or heard anything. Finally, ring round the local hospitals to see if your neighbour has been admitted. If you
continue to draw a blank, it may be time to call the police.
regular check that they are safe and well.”
CALLING SOCIAL SERVICES If there’s no emergency but you suspect that your elderly neighbour may have developed a mental or physical health issue that puts them at risk, check if they have a relative or close friend that you can phone. If the answer is ‘no’, you could call the Age UK helpline on Freephone 0800 009 966 or contact the social services department at your local council.
Between 6th and 10th November the National Association for Care Catering (NACC) celebrates Meals on Wheels Week. This is an initiative created to raise awareness and demonstrate how vital the service is. Meals on Wheels is currently a discretionary service, not supported by all local councils, and NACC is campaigning for the government to make it a statutory, protected service for those considered most at risk in the community.
When a local authority is told that someone may be in need of care and support they are obliged to carry out a needs assessment, even if the individual in question has not requested one. MEALS ON WHEELS There is usually a clear course of action when an older person is found to be at risk or in distress. However it’s not always so straightforward when someone simply appears to be lonely or not eating properly. One solution may be to help them set up a ‘Meals on Wheels’ delivery. The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), the original provider of the Meals on Wheels service, says: “Our home-delivered meals service provides friendly social contact for those who may be confined to the house, and a
As a concerned neighbour, you could make a real difference with a simple intervention, whether that’s starting a friendly chat or taking positive action to support the elderly person in question. If you’d like to hear more about the Royal Voluntary Service Meals on Wheels service, telephone 0845 608 0122 or visit royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.