Specsavers Home Visits team organised a surprise party for the residents at The Meadows Care Home in Thringstone - to bring older generations together and add a little joy to the day.

Following their routine eye tests with the community opticians and hearing experts, the residents and their families were treated to an afternoon of live music, singing, food and conversation.

The party, at the care home near Coalville, was held on the back of new research by Specsavers Home Visits which revealed that two in three older adults have experienced loneliness, with 13 per cent admitting they have gone days without interacting with another person.

The research, which polled 1,000 people aged 65 and over, demonstrates the need for additional support to older generations, with 91 per cent of people surveyed recognising loneliness as a significant problem for their generation.

Rizwan Desai, ophthalmic partner at Specsavers Home Visits, which provides a range of eye care services for customers who are unable to visit their opticians unaccompanied, said: 'We know that many of our older customers experience loneliness and want to do as much as we can to foster a sense of community and connection, beyond helping them with their vision and hearing.

"Our home visits service makes sure our vulnerable customers who have difficulty leaving their homes can keep on top of their eye health and continue doing the activities they enjoy and keep them connected to their communities.

"It was wonderful to see the residents, their family members and the care home staff at The Meadows enjoy the surprise together. 

"Our team had a great time and always look forward to spending time with our care home customers."

A Meadows resident has an eye test

The research, which was conducted via OnePoll, went on to find that more than half (52 per cent) of those who feel lonely always have the TV or radio on at home for background noise, whilst others (32 per cent) choose to listen to their favourite music to boost their spirits.

Rizwan added: 'While it's concerning to discover that so many of our older customers are experiencing loneliness, it's encouraging to see growing awareness of the issue and the ways we can help.

"Our home visits team have built some incredible relationships with care homes across the country, like The Meadows, and we're committed to continuing our work to support the community."