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Five Things You Can Do To Help the Elderly This Winter

Christmas is a time for giving – here are 5 simple ways you can make a difference and help the elderly this winter.   

 1) Share a meal 

Older, isolated people often need a hand cooking for themselves, so why not take round an extra plate of hot home-cooked food, or a frozen portion they can heat up or microwave? 

Try to provide the meal in a container that you don’t need back – it’s hard work for both of you to keep track of serving bowls. 

The Casserole Club is a project that connects people who like to cook and are happy to share an extra portion of a delicious home-cooked meal with older neighbours. Click HERE for more information.

2) Volunteer  

Community Christmas is a charity that believes that unless they want to be, no elderly person in the UK should be alone on Christmas Day. They help people to organise community Christmas lunches – all of which need volunteers.  

Click HERE and find your local community Christmas lunch in Norfolk. If you can’t find one, maybe next year you could start your own – lots of information and advice on how to get started can be found on their website.  

3) Spare Chair Sunday  

Contact the Elderly has teamed up with Bisto to run their ‘Spare Chair Sunday’ campaign – encouraging people to offer a ‘spare chair’ at their Sunday lunch tables for a delicious warm meal together.  

If you have a ‘Spare Chair’ and would like to get involved visit Contact the Elderly

4) Donate to a Care Home or Lunch Club 

National Care Home providers Abbeyfield run their ‘Companionship at Christmas’ campaign. They open the doors of their care homes across the country and invite any older people who might otherwise be alone over the Christmas period to join in with their festivities.  

They couldn’t do this without the generosity of public donations and volunteers. If you’d like to get involved or know an older person who might benefit then click HERE for more information.  

There will be many lunch clubs and groups in your area who would benefit from food and present donations at Christmas. Age UK Norfolk and Age UK Norwich should be able to point you in the right direction of those in need.  

5) The Surviving Winter Appeal 

 Age UK Norfolk & the Norfolk Community Foundation are asking those who receive, but do not depend upon, the Government Winter Fuel Payment to give some or all of it to someone who needs it more than they do.  

Simply keeping warm in the colder weather can be a challenge for many vulnerable older people due to poverty and inadequate housing, leading to preventable health issues. Many older people dread the cold weather and will have to choose between heating their home and eating a meal.  

If you would like to donate, click HERE to see how.

Visit our Norfolk pages to find out free, impartial advice on all aspects of elderly care.

 

 

 

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