GfK Survey finds elderly persons' main concerns are finance, health, loneliness

The financial situation, health, dependence on others, the sentiment of being useless, loneliness and the absence of a dialogue partner are the main issues of the elderly persons in Romania, found a nationwide survey conducted by GfK and commissioned by the Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation. According to the survey released on Thursday by the foundation, loneliness affects to a lower or greater extent approximately 1.5 million elderly persons in Romania. The ageing of the population is a spreading phenomenon that affects not only Romania, but Europe as a whole. According to the National Institute for Statistics, out of Romania's entire population, 3,247,744 people are aged over 65. Apart from that, Romania is faced with youth emigration, modern-day diseases, insufficient dedicated human and financial resources and the absence of an integrated support system, all these causing many elderly to live alone, without social contact, the survey revealed. "The elderly have been a constant concern of our family and of the foundation ever since 1990, because the head of our family himself, both their Majesties are old age people whose lives span more than nine decades. How else could the family regard this age other than with interest and love, given that the family seniors have reached senescence and are a role model for the entire society through the dignity whereby they carry their years, as they are themselves not spared the feeling of loneliness, despite being surrounded by the love of 22 million people and of a caring family. Loneliness is part of the weakness of ageing (...) even if there is a lot of buzz around," said Prince Radu, who attended the event. According to the survey, the elderly associate loneliness with the absence of the loved ones, with living alone, the absence of an interlocutor or of practical aid. Urban area residents are significantly more affected by loneliness, a sentiment that increasingly bears down on ageing people. The Association "Never Alone — Friends of the Elderly" was launched on the occasion of the survey's presentation; the association continues the volunteering and support activities to the benefit of Romania's old age people the Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation has developed since 2006 under the program "Never Alone — Volunteers Close to the Elderly." The association's mission is to fight at national level the social isolation and loneliness that confront the elderly, by volunteer mobilization and changing the society's perception of this age category, the organizers said. The association follows the French intervention model of "Les Petits Freres des Pauvres", which has a 70-year long experience in working with elderly persons, and will be further enjoy the support of the Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation.