Last month, Yvonne Bailey realised that it had been three weeks since she had properly spoken to another human being. Once the 77-year-old has paid her bills, she has nothing left over from her pension credit for socialising.
To remedy her isolation the retired receptionist from Oxfordshire accepted an invitation from a friend for a coffee.
‘She paid, but I can’t do that very often because I can’t repay the favour,’ explains Yvonne. ‘A meal out or a trip to the cinema is out of the question. I have no choice but to avoid socialising. I hate it,’ Yvonne told Metro.co.uk.
‘What quality of life is it? Sometimes I sit here and cry.
‘Last week I heated the house twice for half an hour in the evening and I couldn’t believe it – it cost me £10,’ adds Yvonne, who is a widow. ‘I’m just wrapping up warm and wearing layers. I get so cold, I end up going to bed, which I have two duvets on.’
In constant pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia, she used to keep the heating on a low level. However, now unable to afford that, she wears a jacket inside, and relies on hot drinks and soup to stay warm.
‘When I think about, it makes me feel sick,’ admits Yvonne. ‘I get cold, my body seizes up and I end up in even more pain than I am in already.’
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