Retirement apartments in Bedford: Discover the joy of independent living in this thriving Kempston community

According to Age UK, nearly one million older people across the UK often feel lonely, and almost half a million say they never see or speak to anybody.

Loneliness can affect anybody at any age, but a number of contributing factors, such as bereavement, health conditions or needing to care for a loved one mean that older people are much more at risk. Other life changes, such as a reduction in eyesight, hearing or mobility can also lead to people spending more time alone and feeling isolated or invisible.

Mark Rowland, the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, believes that “loneliness is not insurmountable at any stage of life.” He suggests the first step is to acknowledge that we are lonely, which many of us struggle to admit even to ourselves. “There’s still a tremendous stigma,” he says. “We internalise the cause of loneliness as being a defect of our personality – we’re not interesting enough, we’re not valuable enough. That can develop into a spiral of lack of confidence and withdrawal.”

It's a situation that Trevor, an Adlington Retirement Living homeowner, understands.

“My children and my sister were worried that I was getting older and letting myself go to seed. In my old house, I used to see very few people except for my neighbours. I wasn’t myself at all. I didn’t speak to many people at all.”

As a retired GP, Trevor, knows only too well the negative impact that loneliness can have on health, but he has also experienced first-hand the difference that becoming part of a thriving community can make. He says it has enabled him to live his own life independently, but with the security of knowing help is at hand if he needs it.

“I think one of the big benefits of moving to a retirement community like Adlington is the stimulus of other people at this time of life. If somebody has been on their own, as I know very well, you can sink into not wanting to do anything. You lose your ability to think properly, and to converse properly, and you start to go downhill.

“Looking back now, I didn’t realise at the time, that’s exactly what happened to me. The stimulus of moving into a place like this can be of great benefit. I am so, so pleased I came.”

Tips to tackle loneliness

The Mental Health Foundation suggests a variety of simple and practical things we can all do to help ourselves and each other:

Try to keep busy Activities like gardening, going to an exercise class or doing jigsaws can give you energy and positive feelings.

Stimulate your mind Activities that occupy your mind such as taking courses or listening to podcasts can help.

Get moving Physical exercise can be as simple as having a walk in the park or dancing around your living room.

Try to engage with the people you meet Even catching someone’s eye and saying “hi” as you walk along can make you feel better.

Spend time with pets Not only do animals provide us with unconditional love and support, but they also help to give structure to our days and even encourage us to get out and connect with others.

Find people who understand It can be hard to connect with others when you’re feeling lonely. But there are great benefits in finding people who have been through similar experiences to you.

To find out more, join a coffee morning or book a tour, call the friendly sales team on 01234 988200. They’re ready to welcome you Monday to Saturday at The Newells in Kempston or visit adlington.co.uk