"Loneliness is something we are very aware of in our line of work, and we also know how meaningful and special even the smallest gesture can be to someone who may be feeling isolated or alone, especial"
Andrea Lyon
A care home in Liverpool will be opening its doors on Christmas day and inviting older people to join them for Christmas.
The ‘Pull Up A Chair’ initiative has been introduced by Oak Springs Care Home in a bid to tackle loneliness among Liverpool’s older population.
The care home will be offering free transport and a seat at their table to older people who may otherwise be dining alone, where they will enjoy a home-made Christmas lunch, as well as an afternoon filled with carol singing and a special Christmas gift.
Loneliness amongst older people is an ever-increasing problem both locally and nationally. In order to combat this, the government has introduced its Loneliness Strategy, which will allow GPs to prescribe social activities to people whose health may be affected due to loneliness.
In was revealed during the launch of this strategy that three quarters of GPs have reported seeing between one and five people a day suffering with loneliness and that around 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month.
Andrea Lyon, registered manager at Oak Springs, said:
“At Oak Springs, we believe that no one should spend Christmas Day alone, which is why we’re pleased to introduce our Pull Up A Chair initiative. It is incredibly important to me and my team that Christmas at Oak Springs is just like the family Christmas you have in your own home, and a part of this is reaching out to those who would appreciate a home-cooked meal, a thoughtful gift and some company on Christmas Day.
“Loneliness is something we are very aware of in our line of work, and we also know how meaningful and special even the smallest gesture can be to someone who may be feeling isolated or alone, especially during a special occasion.
“If you are aware of an older person who may be on their own this Christmas, please let them know that they are more than welcome to join us at Oak Springs. We would be delighted to have them.”
Those who are interested in visiting Oak Springs on Christmas Day are invited to contact the care home by calling 0151 305 9010. For those who face difficulties with transport, the home is more than happy to arrange free transport to Oak Springs and home again. Please note that due to limited places, those who would like to attend are asked to get in touch as soon as possible.
To learn more about Oak Springs Care Home, please visit www.oaksprings.co.uk.
