Age UK responds to Royal College of GPs

The leader of Britain’s GPs warns that being lonely can be as bad for someone’s health as having a long-term illness such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK's Charity Director said:

'It’s extremely welcome to hear the Royal College of GPs talking about the serious consequences of loneliness. Our analysis shows that about a million older people in our country are lonely, an often devastating state of profound unhappiness.

'Addressing this is a job for us all and GPs can play a vital role in helping older people who are lonely. Loneliness can sometime be the face of more serious underlying issues and should not be disregarded as a minor problem. GPs should be alert to any underlying mental health problems such as depression.

'GPs can further support their patients by finding out about other sources of help in the community, especially services that are experienced in working with lonely older people.'