Age UK Barnet clients happier than average older person
Published on 07 February 2019 01:34 PM
Older people who have used Age UK Barnet services are nearly 15 per cent happier than the average older person in the UK, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) wellbeing index.
The wellbeing survey, devised by the WHO to measure levels of mental health and wellbeing, was filled in by people who have taken part in activities and used Age UK Barnet services.
Lower scores in the WHO questionnaire have been linked with greater risk of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and depression. and can mean that people take longer to recover from illness.
Age UK Barnet clients not only scored higher than average on general wellbeing, those people who take part in one of our activities such exercise, lunch clubs and cookery were 10 per cent happier than our clients who don't.
And 93 per cent who have taken our IT sessions said that they felt less lonely after taking one of our courses.
'Our aim is to encourage older people to increase their wellbeing and make the most of later life.' says chief executive Helen Newman
'Getting older doesn’t come with a manual but we know that staying active and finding opportunities to connect with others are vital ingredients in the well-being of any older person.
'The results of the WHO survey show that the activities and services we offer are making a difference to people's lives and that the more engaged people are in our activities, the greater the benefit to their health and wellbeing.'