ADVERTISING FEATURE
Help us to help others in later life Age UK Hertfordshire is an independent local charity, supporting older people in Hertfordshire to lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives. We are a person-centred charity, and our aim is to help people to continue to live independently in their own homes and maintain choice and control over how they live their lives.
W
e support over 15,000 older people in Hertfordshire each year through our services, and aim to reduce the debilitating health impacts of loneliness and social isolation and to improve mental and physical wellbeing. We also provide opportunities for people to socialise with others to ensure that people stay connected to their communities and benefit from the value that friendships can bring. We also offer a lot of practical support from form filling to cleaning and shopping, and are continually looking at new services to develop to meet the growing and changing needs of the population.
We know that there is a growing need for support services, as there are 206,500 people aged over 65 living in Hertfordshire, which is forecast to increase by 36% by 2040. Of these, there are currently 67,489 people living alone, which is also expected to increase by 39% in 2040. This shows that the need for help and support will increase significantly over time and so services are essential and need to grow and adapt to meet the growing demand. This is a poignant time, as the impact of COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on older people compared to any other age group, plus the impact of the cost-of-living crisis – our service is needed now more than ever.
How you can help Help your local community! We need volunteers to support our befriending services and much more. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, learn new skills, and help deliver the work we do in Hertfordshire. So, if you have any spare time to spend with an older person and help make their lives less lonely please get in touch - spend an hour, to share an hour and change a life. Fundraising - At Age UK Hertfordshire the money you raise will not only help us support local older people, but your efforts can also make a real difference in the way Hertfordshire thinks about ageing, so please help us by donating to us, fundraising for us or help sponsor us to be your charity of the year.
To find out more information please visit our website: www.ageuk.org.uk/hertfordshire
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