We humans are social animals, and however much we might all enjoy a bit of peace and quiet from time to time, the gnawing pain of being truly, perpetually lonely is one of the most destructive experiences we can face as a species.

So it’s a shocking truth that one of the most vulnerable groups of people in our society today is also statistically the loneliest: the elderly. Research has shown that between 6% and 13% of over-65s say they feel ‘always or very lonely’, which equates to around 860,000 people in England alone. Continue reading →