Age UK brings 4K TV to Manchester’s elderly community

Even with the lockdown restrictions being eased, pensioners still face long periods of social isolation away from friends and family, coupled with the fear of a potential second wave of coronavirus. So we’ve teamed up with Age UK Manchester to bring our brand new 4K boxes to Manchester’s elderly community, helping them to stay connected and entertained to try and reduce the feelings of loneliness caused by social isolation.  

Staying entertained during lockdown

For many, TV is a vital source of news, information and companionship, especially in these unprecedented times, which is why we’ve donated 60x Freesat 4K non-recordable TV boxes to Age UK Manchester in the hope that the boxes and their 170+ channels will help to keep the most vulnerable people aged over 65 in touch with the world. 

Isolation and loneliness are already at epidemic levels nationally, particularly amongst the elderly population. Manchester has been identified as a particular hotspot for the issue; Age UK data shows the city has the third highest number of lonely older people in the UK. Specifically, the wards of Ardwick,Ancoat and Clayton, Miles Platting and Newton Heath have been identified as being at ‘very high risk’ by Age UK – even before the terrible effects of COVID-19. 

Alistair Thom, CEO of Freesat commented: 

"Age UK Manchester does a fantastic job in helping Manchester’s elderly community and after hearing about the work they do, we wanted to help out. Despite lockdown restrictions being lifted slowly, those over 65 are expected to be isolating for longer than the rest of us, making this group even more vulnerable to loneliness. 

“Whilst loneliness is a complex issue, television and entertainment can play an important role in making us feel united and connected to the outside world. We hope that this gesture, while small, might help in reducing feelings of social isolation for this age group.” 

Sally Dervan, Chief Executive of Age UK Manchester, also commented:   

“Loneliness is a particularly serious issue for Manchester’s older people. Aside from having the third highest population of lonely older people in the UK, the city also has a lower-than-average life expectancy, which means there is a constant need for support services like ours.” 

“Demand for these services have increased significantly during the pandemic and the risk for social isolation amongst older people is higher than ever. We welcome any support that might help the over 65s feel more connected to the world and reduce feelings of loneliness as a result.” 

We are hoping to partner with more Age UK locations soon, so stay tuned for more info. 
 

If you know anyone in Manchester that might benefit from Age UK Manchester’s services, call the advice line on
0161 833 3944 or visit ageukmanchester.org.uk