Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2010/January 2011 | Page 77

Island Life - December
ISLAND
LIFE is 2010
great at 60...

Reducing
Winter
Deaths

Each year in England and Wales, even when the weather is
not as bad as the last two winters, many thousands of people
aged 65 and over die unnecessarily in the winter months. This
is often because we can't afford to heat our homes and we
are more susceptible to illnesses caused by cold and damp.
Age UK is campaigning to prevent an avoidable tragedy this
winter.
The winter of 2008-09 saw more than 300 additional winter
deaths every day - a rise of 50% on the previous year.
The cost to society is enormous. For every additional winter
death, there are also around 8 admissions to hospital, 32
visits to outpatient care and 30 social services calls.
This is a national tragedy. Many of the deaths and much of
the ill health are avoidable. Yet there is no emergency plan to
try to prevent this. And those of us on low income, struggling
to pay our fuel bills, are most at risk.

Visit our new website - www.visitislandlife.com

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