Ageing rural communities face increased social care needs to tackle loneliness and isolation

The number of people aged 65 and over living in rural areas with social care needs is projected to increase by 70 per cent over the next 16 years.
The largest problems facing older people living in the countryside has been linked with the lack of public transport available and the high cost of heating and living, with prices in rural areas typically 10 – 20 per cent higher than other areas.

Age UK has reported that the dream of retirement in the country side is far from the daily reality, with the number of cases of depression, stroke, falls and dementia in the country side increasing at a faster rate than those living in urban areas.

Age UK’s charity director general Michelle Mitchell said: “Life in rural England is very tough for many people. Too many are stranded at home, lonely and isolated, struggling to the shops, Post Office and even hospital, because of a lack of local bus services.

“With rural communities ageing rapidly, it’s more critical than ever that the Government and local authorities make sure that the older people who live there, many of them frail and vulnerable, have access to the services and facilities they need to live as independent and fulfilling lives as possible.”

With 50 per cent of people in the countryside aged 45 or over, rural communities are aging faster than more urban parts of the UK, and will have an increased need for social care support in the near future.

In a poll published by Age UK, one in four people over 60 in rural communities described the biggest problem they face as the lack of public transport which limits access to family and often vital hospital and doctors’ appointments.

Age UK is calling for the Government and local authorities to ensure that rural policies and programmes reflect the needs of older people, with a special focus on the impact that cutting services can have on the quality of life of older people living in their own homes in the countryside.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund, who supports people who live and work in rural areas, has welcomed the report by Age UK championing the social care needs of older people in the country.

Director Victoria Harris said: “We know that rural isolation and lack of services are a real problem across the UK with post offices, village shops and pubs closing at an alarming rate. These closures tend to hit groups such as the elderly particularly hard and combined with the decline of local transport it is a major issue. This report highlights some of the major concerns facing the UK countryside today and we welcome any opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our rural communities.”

The charity is also calling for the prevention of loneliness to be made a priority, after research has found that its negative impact can be as harmful as having 15 cigarettes a day.