The Polish organization Mali Bracia Ubogich celebrated 15 years! At the end of the 90s, young Polish volunteers regularly took part in holiday breaks in France. The commitment of these young people was a real opportunity. The creation of an association in Poland was brought up in 2002 during a seminar called “Breaking the loneliness of those who live there”. Living in three different regions, the volunteers who did not know each other at the beginning, started to work each in their region. To support them, sponsorships by the French organization les petits frères des Pauvres are set up.
Fifteen years later, the work of the association in Poland is remarkable and contributes every day to make the society better for the elderly. Happy Birthday !
For this special occasion, the association commissionned a study about the social situation of persons aged 65+. With a main question: is loneliness a problem for Polish elderly persons in their everyday life? The study showed it’s a main concern with about 280 000 lonely elderly persons over 80 years of age in Poland.
- 3 in 10 respondents over 80 years of age report that they experience loneliness and isolation
- 1 in 10 respondents over 80 years of age feels lonely often or even constantly