'They're afraid of dying alone': Petawawa, Ont. senior shares story of loneliness
David Anstey lives alone in his apartment in Petawawa, Ont. He feels lonely and isolated, and believes there are many other seniors in his exact situation who all share the same looming feeling.
"They're afraid of dying alone, which is exactly my position and where I am," the 82-year-old tells CTV News Ottawa.
Anstey has lived in Petawawa for about 20 years now. He says his wife died some time back, and his only family is his son in British Columbia who he talks with over email. He says the neighbours next door and below his apartment have moved out, and his only friend in the area is recovering from surgery.
"The only way that people are going to know that I'm dead is the stink will get up in the hallway," Anstey says, bluntly. "Doesn't sound very appetizing but I'm trying to be a realist here. It's scary."
In his day-to-day life Anstey publishes an online advertisement flyer called pennypincher.ca. It's all done on his laptop in his living room, meaning he doesn't head into the office or printing station anymore. Periodically, Anstey heads out to pick up groceries, prescriptions, and run errands, but his 2002 Buick only takes him so far - Anstey says it broke down a couple days after speaking to CTV News Ottawa.
Anstey refers to himself as a 'senior senior', a reference to how long the 82-year-old has spent a senior in society's standards. And at 82, Anstey says the fear of dying alone is ever present given the reality of his situation.
"It's something that everybody who becomes a senior, especially a senior senior, has to think about."
Despite the physical void, Anstey isn't alone in his predicament. According to A Friendly Voice, a senior's help line for people experiencing isolation and loneliness, Statistics Canada reports an estimated 1.6 million elderly Canadians feel lonely.
"We have statistics around the 80 per cent mark of seniors living alone right now within Canada, who are lonely and isolated," says Kelly Dumas, Executive Director of Rural Ottawa South Support Services, which runs A Friendly Voice.
"We are that neutral, non-judgemental person that [seniors] can communicate with freely," says France Connor, the Program Manager at A Friendly Voice. Their number is 613-692-9992 or toll free at 1-855-892-9992.
Dumas says her organization can connect seniors through community resource centres and support service agencies for opportunities like congregate dining programs and support groups, many of which can be accessed by calling 2-1-1.
Seniors' Centre Without Walls is another programs which offers a call-in line that can connect lonely seniors, and also hosts games like trivia and bingo, and guest speakers at various sites throughout Ontario.
Carefor Health and Community Services in Pembroke tell CTV News they have contacted Anstey and plan to do a home assessment in the near future.
Anstey is hopeful that in sharing his story and struggles, it will start a local conversation and help him - and people similar to him - build new friendships.
"Let's hope it will generate a network of people who understand what I'm saying and they're shaking their heads vertically saying I know what you're talking about and what you're feeling, and how can I get involved."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
30% of town structures destroyed in Jasper wildfire: officials
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is set to tour the resort town of Jasper to see firsthand the devastation caused by wildfires.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
Canada's Christine Sinclair: 'We were never shown drone footage'
Canada soccer great Christine Sinclair said on Friday national team players were never shown drone footage during the more than two decades she was on the team, following a spying scandal that cast a shadow over the Canadians at the Paris Games.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn $146,000 for water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Paris Olympics kicks off with ambitious but rainy opening ceremony on the Seine River
Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy along the Seine River.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.