We're launching our new Winter Connections Call Companions campaign off the back of a recent survey which revealed nearly half of older people say they feel less visible as they age.

The research, involving 2,000 men and women aged 65 and over, highlights how older people can feel overlooked and dismissed with 50% saying retirement has affected their sense of purpose and role in life.

The majority of respondents said they have skills, knowledge and experience to offer but just under half (49%) said their opinions were often or sometimes dismissed.

When asked if they felt more or less visible in society as they got older, 45% said they feel less visible. Just under one in three (32%) said they had experienced ageism and around half (47%) said their world had shrunk since retirement.

Our Winter Connections Call Companion campaign aims to find even more volunteers to help support older people living with loneliness, at what can be a particularly challenging time of year. There are several hundred older people on our waiting list who want someone to call them once a week or fortnight for a social chat. The winter months can be a very lonely time for many older people who find it difficult to leave their homes and may not speak to anyone for days or weeks.

The campaign will be supported by our new new film, 'Remember My Name', launching later this month - which explores how older people ‘feel invisible’ when out in the community.

The poll*, which was completed in late September, had a fairly even split of respondents between women (52%) and men (48%). Just over half (53%) were aged 65-70, 40% were 71-80 and 7% were 81 or older.

It also revealed that 57% of older people felt their identity had changed as they aged. More than four in ten (42%) felt most visible in family settings with 25% feeling the same when shopping or using services.

Loneliness has been linked to heart problems, obesity and dementia and increases the risk of premature death by 26%. Its damaging effects have been compared to smoking fifteen cigarettes a day and the World Health Organisation has declared it to be a priority health problem. There are 6.6m people over 75 in the UK who live alone and that figure is anticipated to rise to 8m by 2034.

Betty, 95, who attends Re-engage tea parties in Manchester, said: “Sometimes I don’t see or hear from anyone for days on end and I get very low. I absolutely dread weekends because they drag on so much. When you get old you seem to be overlooked, sidelined. I often sit at my window and see cars pull up which is really depressing because I know the people are not coming to visit me.”

One survey participant said: “It’s not so much how I see myself. It’s how the rest of the world seems to look straight through you as you get older.” And another commented: “I want age to be seen as an important achievement in life that should be celebrated.”

Re-engage CEO, Jenny Willott, said: “Many older people feel they slowly vanish from society as they age and this can lead to them becoming isolated and lonely, which is a growing health problem.

“Those we surveyed overwhelmingly told us they wanted to be listened to and shown more respect. Older people have incredible experience and knowledge, and we should take advantage of this by ensuring they are part of society and not just forgotten.

“That’s why this winter we’re asking more people to give a little of their time to help an older person feel remembered and connected. A regular phone call might seem like a small thing, but it can be a lifeline to someone who is isolated or lonely.”

*The online survey was conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct. Data was collected between 21/09/2026 and 29/09/2026.