One in four older people can’t walk as far since lockdown, survey finds

‘Immobility, loneliness and inability to grieve as normal are leaving deep scars,’ says Age UK chief

Nearly half of elderly respondents felt less motivated to do things they enjoyed (Getty Images)

Around one quarter of older people have said they were unable to walk as far as before lockdown or were living in more pain than before the pandemic, a study has found.

People reported being less steady on their feet, struggling to manage the stairs and feeling less independent since the crisis began, according to polling for Age UK.

The declines are being put down to successive lockdowns, social distancing measures, the loss of routines and support, and access to services being limited.