Today I came across a piece on BBC News, "Lonely elderly flood Silver Line helpline with calls" where this 24 hour helpline has recieved over 300,000 calls within the first year of its operation, mostly from the elderly who feel lonely or isolated.

A question not raised or discussed in the article is why there are so many elderly that are lonely or isolated. This isnt just about those in care homes, but also those that live in their own homes, all alone.