Island’s pensioners often ‘too proud to get help’
Wednesday 23rd December 2009, 2:29PM GMT.
Myrtle Tabel, a volunteer at the Salvation Army centre on the Bridge, serves a bowl of hot soup to one of the customers in the cafe. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0893227)
GUERNSEY pensioners should not have to skip meals to beat the recession, according to the local chairman of Age Concern.
Reports in the UK say that OAPs are cutting down on food in a bid to reduce costs and survive the recession, but Jan Kuttelwascher said he was not aware it was such a problem for the island’s elderly.
The survey, by UK charities Help the Aged and Age Concern, said millions of older people were also risking their health by switching off their heating.
‘There is no reason why anybody should have to skip meals in Guernsey,’ said Deputy Kuttelwascher.
Age Concern runs three centres a week – Vale, St Martin’s and St Peter Port – and he said centre managers had not been told of pensioners taking extreme steps to save cash.
‘Having said that, in Guernsey people tend to be too proud to ask for help,’ he said.
Deputy Kuttelwascher said that while food tended to be more expensive here, Guernsey residents had the advantage of not paying VAT.
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No I don’t think that OAP are too proud to ask for help:
What they do have is a good memory: Of times past, when places like Town Hospital to get medical attention: perhaps the richer thought they would be contaminated if the other hospital were used.
They remember the Central hall at Christmas, when with almost a means test you could receive a food parcel; (if you qualified)
People waited till the last moment on a Saturday evening to buy the Joint from the butchers, it was much cheaper to wait.
Remember the Closing time was around 10 o’clock in the evening. oh yes memories last a long time
People like the TOC H were helpful, as was a few other societies.
Oh they will say completely untrue; well I’m sure there are people who remember such things
I could mention a whole host of things, but why? It doesn’t help; no if you’re poor, the rich don’t give a dot.
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There are pensioners who go without food and/or heating.
Some may be too proud to ask for help but many are unaware what help may be available and how to go about asking.
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