Walk the neighbour

I was talking to a friend the other day about how her father, recently out of hospital, had become bloated without exercise, overweight, swollen ankles etc. She was having to go over and get him up and walking round the house, up and down a bit. I recall doing this with my mum, starting with the nearest lamp-post on the street and back, then maybe targeting the next one, a little further each time. In her case we were fortunate in that she had wonderful neighbours who helped, in many ways.

This is not a rare situation though and there is obviously a role for neighbours here. It couldn't be much more suitable for neighbourly involvement could it? No special skills needed, a very modest amount of mutually-convenient time, a little interaction, being there.

But as we know, older people tend not to want to trouble others; their children often don't know their parents' neighbours; and care workers are even less likely to know them, and more likely to retreat from safeguarding obstacles. One example I found here:

'My Good Neighbour takes me out for a walk and helps me with silly little things, like reaching items in the house that I cannot do. I cannot walk outside unaided so it is helping me keep mobile and to get some fresh air.'