The charity wants more action to help pensioners A leading Scottish charity has claimed thousands of pensioners are dying every winter because of poor housing conditions. It believes those dying from cold-related illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia this winter will soar following the recent drop in temperatures. The research, which was carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, shows that 4,331 more elderly people died in Scotland between December 1999 and March 2000 than over a similar period the year before.
Every needless death is a private tragedy and a public disgrace.
Although the charity has welcomed plans by the executive to install free central heating for 70,000 pensioners it says more must be done at local and national level. But an executive spokeswoman said a series of measures had already been put in place to further protect the health of Scotland's elderly population. She also pointed out that the deputy chief medical officer, Andrew Fraser, had provided heating and nutritional advice to the elderly designed to prevent illness.