By Sarah Robinson

Last updated at 11:29, Thursday, 13 September 2012

FEARS about being unable to pay for heating or food are being faced by Copeland’s older people this winter.

Age UK West Cumbria says people have already contacted the organisation asking for help to pay the bills and pay for their food.

It follows the shocking national statistic that an estimated one million older people living in their own homes in the UK are eating less than one meal per day.

The national campaign Mind the Hunger Gap by the British Dietetic Association has highlighted the issue of malnutrition in older people living in their own homes.

Although staff from Age UK West Cumbria do not have statistics about people suffering from malnutrition locally, they want to raise awareness about what help is on offer.

Lynne Rushforth, of Age UK, said: “Over the last three years, we have seen local older people increasingly struggling to pay their bills and having to choose between heating and eating, and this problem has been the focus of our winter campaign.

“The cool, wet summer of 2012 has made this situation worse, and for the first time we have received calls from pensioners worried about heating bills in the summer months and growing anxious about how they will cope in the winter ahead.”

The upcoming campaign ‘Winter warmth: Keeping happy and healthy over winter’ will provide information for older people during the cold spells.

Nutritional activities have been held for older people living on their own. The need to improve nutrition at home was also identified as a key priority by Age UK.

A handbook has been produced for older people or those caring for themselves offering practical and simple advice. The nutritional sections offer advice on quick cooking, help with eating and hygiene and food safety.

Staff say they have found that the majority of older people prepare their own meals, but almost half of them only prepare frozen ready meals.

Also, if the care package includes providing a meal, a carer will often not have enough time to provide a balanced healthy meal with the food available. To improve this, work was carried out around essential store cupboard items and suggested menus to improve nutritional wellbeing.

Eleanor Guthrie, of Age UK, said: “We also have a prevention team, who, when doing an initial individual home assessment on each new client will ensure measures are in place to make sure people are able to adequately make meals or have someone to support them to make meals, and have adequate facilities to do so.”

For more information about the help available, contact Age UK West Cumbria on 01946 66669.

First published at 11:09, Thursday, 13 September 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk