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Original poster

9 ELDERLY PEOPLE DIE EVERY HOUR OF THE COLD.

179 replies

ivanhoe · 25/01/2011 14:36

THOUSANDS of pensioners died from cold-related illnesses last winter as heating bills soared and temperatures plummeted, official figures reveal.

The number of deaths linked to the cold between December and March reached 25,400 in England and Wales, with another 2,760 in Scotland.

The figures are equivalent to nine deaths every hour.

The total gave Britain the highest winter death rate in northern Europe, worse than much colder countries such as Finland and Sweden.

There are fears the death toll could increase this year following energy price rises which may frighten elderly people into not turning on their heating.

Michelle Mitchell, of Age UK, said: ?It?s unacceptable that tens of thousands more older people die in this country every winter from the effects of the cold weather.

The fact that the UK has one of the highest winter mortality rates in Europe makes it clear this is very much a home-grown problem.

OP posts:
mamatomany · 26/01/2011 13:09

My DC's will emigrate I will be putting them on the plane myself (and hopefully they'll send for us later).

ShirleyKnot · 26/01/2011 13:07

No thanks, can't be arsed to elaborate to you ivanhoe. You're not interested in anything other than pushing your own agenda.

I'm very left wing actually, but you just put people off by not being prepared to listen to anything other than the same stuff over and over again and doing ////////// this all over the place. The key you're looking for is on the number 2 key. Shift plus 2

Original poster
ivanhoe · 26/01/2011 13:04

///////As someone in their early 60's have you suddenly realised that you're not going to manage on the pension?///////

Are you being serious here, insensitive, or just plain stupid ?

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Original poster
ivanhoe · 26/01/2011 13:01

//////And it's something completely out of their control. It's disgusting./////

Elaborate please ?

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expatinscotland · 26/01/2011 13:01

I didn't vote Tory.

Original poster
ivanhoe · 26/01/2011 13:00

I can only say, well done to Tory voters, particulary those who voted Tory at the last general election.

They have got excatly what they deserve.

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TheCrackFox · 26/01/2011 12:54

I am hoping my DCs emigrate.

ShirleyKnot · 26/01/2011 12:53

Neither will mine crackfox. Sad

And it's something completely out of their control. It's disgusting.

expatinscotland · 26/01/2011 12:52

I encourage my children to emigrate.

TheCrackFox · 26/01/2011 12:50

Yeah, my boys won't get a pension and will have to work till they drop so baby boomers can afford cruises, new cars and retiring early in the South of France. (like my in-laws who retired when they were 55)

ShirleyKnot · 26/01/2011 12:48

It's my childrens' generation I feel sorry for, not the pensioners.

TheCrackFox · 26/01/2011 12:47

Baby boomers have the biggest sense of entitlement.

expatinscotland · 26/01/2011 12:47

They should be revered, the boomers, and paid a lot more.

By you, me and all our children.

ShirleyKnot · 26/01/2011 12:45

Well, why wouldn't they? Spoiled. That's what they are. Grin

expatinscotland · 26/01/2011 12:41

Yes, again, Shirley.

The baby boomers think you and I should pay more!

ShirleyKnot · 26/01/2011 12:24

not again

expatinscotland · 26/01/2011 12:19

I plan to top myself. And yes, I really mean to carry ito ut.

expatinscotland · 26/01/2011 12:19

No, Chil, he/she wants to make sure he/she gets the max out of a the taxpayer in the coming years.

complimentary · 26/01/2011 12:04

Chili1234. I don't think many will manage on their pensions. Writing my posts has reminded me of the terrible, poverty stricken situation many older people find themselves in. I shall be making provisions for the future, in haste!Smile

Original poster
ivanhoe · 26/01/2011 12:00

To "revere". To regard with awe and respect.

You clearly do not.

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Chil1234 · 26/01/2011 11:58

As someone in their early 60's have you suddenly realised that you're not going to manage on the pension?

complimentary · 26/01/2011 11:55

Who said we 'revere' elderly people? If we revere them, other countries must canonise them!

Original poster
ivanhoe · 26/01/2011 11:48

Chil, whilst highlighting the war generations, I was speaking generally that the word "pensioner" is simply not in the British vocabularly.

And if the State pension was increased universially and substantially, this would go a long way in giving our "pensioners" spending power.

Im in my early 60's.

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Chil1234 · 26/01/2011 11:40

"if it was not for the efforts of our war generation, none of us would be here today."

Whilst this is true, it is also true that the 'war generation' do not form the bulk of the pensioner population. A 65 year-old today was born in 1945/46. They hit their physical peak in the sixties when jobs were plenty and 'you've never had it so good'. To have been 18+ at the end of the war someone would be over 84 now.

I think the problem I have with your analysis is twofold. First is that you are generalising 'elderly people' as if they were an amorphous group, all in exactly the same boat, suffering poverty & hardship daily, mistreated & ignored by the entire under-65 population - and that's so far from the truth that it's insulting. And second, your proposal to substantially raise the pension for all people over 65 would not successfully address the problems described by complimentary of mental health issues, shortage of care workers & social services, estrangement from families. If anything, it would siphon money away from the very services that are required.

You still haven't said how old you are btw

Original poster
ivanhoe · 26/01/2011 11:28

We do not "revere" our elderly people in Britain.
....................................
I believe that Britain's elderly people have been seen by the British, as peope who are by birth, poor, and that they should be grateful for their State pension no matter how low it is, and that the elderly should also be grateful for the means tested handouts they receive if eligable via a means test.

As a nation we have forgotten about our elderly people and it's been a subtle process, in our minds we have marginaised them away from the rest of the society we live and mix in.

If we hadnt forgotten about them, we would be standing up for them against goverment policies that hurt our elderly people, because it is our duty to do so, because if it was not for the efforts of our war generation, none of us would be here today.

We all have to get old, yet we dont think of this until we get old, but our elderly people are already told, so by ignoring ourselves we are also ignoring their plight, and by ignoring their plight, we are also ignoring ourselves

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