Around 940,000 older people across the UK are often lonely. That is the finding of recent Age UK research, which also showed that some 270,000 older people in England can go a whole week without speaking to a friend or family member. Behind those numbers are real people, and some of them live on our streets.
Often, what makes the difference is not a big intervention. It is someone turning up. A lift to an appointment. Help with the weekly shop. A walk in the fresh air, or a chat over a cup of tea.
That is the thinking behind Helping with Heart, a new personal assistant service covering Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire, run by Emma Barnwell.
Emma spent 15 years as a registered nurse, working in acute medicine, community nursing, hospice care and oncology. It taught her something that stuck.
"I realised that some of the most meaningful care happens outside of hospital settings," she says. "Often, what people need most is someone they can trust. A friendly face, a listening ear, and practical support that helps them continue enjoying life in the comfort of their own home."
Alongside nursing, Emma worked as a social prescriber, helping people find local services and community support. "That experience reinforced just how important companionship, independence and early support are in improving wellbeing," she says.
Helping with Heart offers the kind of support that rarely comes with a job title. Accompanying someone to an appointment. Shopping and collecting prescriptions. Light help around the house. A walk, a cup of tea, or simply some company.
"Helping with Heart was created because I wanted to offer a more personal, flexible service that focuses on people, not just tasks," Emma says. "My aim is to make everyday life a little easier, while giving families peace of mind."
The stakes are higher than they might look. Age UK found that nine in ten older people who are often lonely also say they are unhappy or depressed, compared with four in ten of those who are hardly ever lonely. And unless something changes, the charity expects the number of over-65s in England who are often lonely to reach 1.2 million by 2034.
That is why services like this matter. Not everyone has family close by. Plenty of local families are juggling work, children and parents who live a drive away. Knowing there is someone reliable who can pop in, help out and genuinely care takes a weight off everyone, most of all the person at home.
For Emma, a mum of three living just over the border in Bedfordshire, it comes back to community. "Community means a great deal to me," she says. "My goal is to build trusted relationships with clients and become someone families can rely on. I hope Helping with Heart can make a real difference by reducing loneliness, promoting independence, and ensuring people receive compassionate, person-centred support when they need it most."
There is something in this for all of us, too. If you have an older neighbour or relative, knock on the door. Say hello. It costs nothing, and for someone who has not spoken to a soul all week, it can mean everything.
If you or someone in your family could use a helping hand, you can reach Emma on 07396 772210 or at helpingwithheartpa@gmail.com. You can also find Helping with Heart PA Services on Facebook, or follow her journey on Instagram at @helpingwithheartpa. A website is on the way.
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Published by MK Life, an independent Milton Keynes city guide. Details correct at time of publishing.