25 signatures reached
To: Cheltenham Council
Reduce Loneliness by introducing intergenerational nursery classes
Bring nursery classes into old peoples homes on a regular basis to reduce loneliness and improve quality of life
Why is this important?
Throughout my Human Geography degree at Gloucester University I have specialised in learning about the worlds ageing population.
An increase in the longevity of people’s lives alongside a declining birth rate has resulted in an ageing population. This means many practical problems have evolved. For example there is an ever increasing strain on healthcare, sheltered housing and an increase in the dependency ratio. An increase in the older generation means the dependency ratio in turn increases; the working section of a population is put under pressure to provide, mostly through taxes for the older generation.
However, social stress is occurring which cannot be solved by money alone, there is an ever increasing issue of loneliness within the older generation.
Loneliness is a complex and usually unpleasant emotion, which typically includes anxious feelings about a lack of connectedness or communality with others. Loneliness can get into every pore of an elderly persons life and can have detrimental effects. I believe it is a very sad reflection that when people are most in need they feel the most abandoned.
However, I want us to work together as a community to create a long term and sustainable solution for loneliness in Cheltenham, this would occur by bringing nursery age children into old peoples homes on a regular basis. The two generations would complete activities together which will have benefits for both (as seen on Channel 4 program 'Old peoples home for 4 year olds')
