A new study for the British Medical Journal has found that belonging to a social group, including church groups, lowers death risk in early retirement.
Researchers say it has the equivalent benefit of regular exercise, and that the more clubs a person belongs to in the first few years after they stop working, the lower their risk of death.
That’s why, reporting on the study, the Yorkshire Post says, “There’s nothing like a church meeting to ensure a life of contentment.” Story here.
Our churches are well aware of the importance of helping older people stay connected to their community. Some have set up clubs to address isolation among the elderly (like this one in Wakefield) as well as Knit and Natter groups. A number of churches run dementia friendly cafés (here and here) and there is a course in March on how to be a dementia friendly church.
And last week, Bishop Tony Robinson was made Pinderfields Hospital’s first-ever elderly care ambassador.
The Revd John Walker (former vicar of St Wilfrid’s, Calverley) oversees regular activities for retired people at St George’s, Leeds, including communion services, a lunch club called Table Talk, and advice sessions on retirement, care and bereavement. He says, “If you’ve got something on a certain day of the week, you’ve got to jolly well get up. We have 120 people in our groups. Not all of them go to church but I think they would agree that it’s very important to go to regular meetings”.
Finishing work is a major life change and previous studies have suggested that people's health and wellbeing can deteriorate after retirement. (Almost a third of the region’s over-65s who live alone – 91,300 – admit to feeling lonely all or most of the time.)
Two years ago the Yorkshire Post launched its award-winning Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic campaign, and, as a result, is now to take a seat on a national commission to tackle the issue. More here.
PHOTOS: Rupert Martin