I hope you don’t find it a little odd when I say that, sometimes, I just like being on my own.
It’s the solitude of putting the feet up, no distractions while I watch a sporting event on television, or read a newspaper while sipping a glass of Italian Chianti Classico and eating a slice of elderflower sponge. (OK, OK more like a mug of tea and a white-iced bun!)
Thing is, after a few hours of my own devices, I keep looking at the door to see when the family folks are coming home so I can enjoy their company again. Even just their presence can be comforting.
The other week, one Saturday evening with no Match of the Day now, I was the only one in our home watching a BBC2 Arena programme. 
My wife was reading her iPad, the kids were somewhere else in the house doing their own thing; but somehow even when engaged in my own zone, the house seemed appropriately full.
The Arena programme “Nothing Like a Dame” reminded me that, actually, for some older people being on their own was not a choice.
It was a wonderful show, with four marvellous and distinguished British actresses having been filmed in informal conversation over a period of time. 
All four Dames, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins are in their 80s and despite their physical issues of fading sight and hearing, are growing old very beautifully indeed. “One of my hearing aids has gone,” said Dame Joan at one point, and Dame Judi joked that they had three decent eyes between the four of them.
As they chatted and discussed their careers and lives, their anecdotes were liberally sprinkled with humour and spark. 
Maggie Smith, whose stellar acting career of over 60 years included the fairly recent role as the acerbic Lady Violet in Downton Abbey. In real life, Dame Maggie proved just as amusing, indeed her mischievous humour throughout the programme provided us and the others with plenty of laughs.
And while they were quite content to be self-deprecating about their own physical frailties in advancing years, Dame Judi recalled her reaction when a young paramedic asked if she had a carer.
“I blew my top,” she told the others, “I said f*@k off, I’ve just done eight weeks in The Winter’s Tale at the Garrick Theatre”.
It was superb stuff from four ladies with real spark in their lives, and a lesson in why today’s ageist society shouldn’t write off older people in all walks of life.
I was, however, interested in one line, when they were recalling a previous actress Dame Edith Evans who’d once said “I am so lonely.”
Dame Maggie said wistfully, “I know the feeling.”
Even the rich and famous, the creatively brilliant with their awards and wonderful careers behind them, yearn for the company of yesteryear.
I recall a few years ago doing a survey for my church and going to the homes of elderly parishioners. One of the questions about churchgoing was often answered with the problem of “nobody to go with” and people who lost their life partner often expressed their main issue in life was loneliness.
According to Age UK, 3.6 million older people in the UK live alone, and indeed 1.2 million are described as “chronically lonely”. 
I’m not sure what this means exactly, but it’s said that loneliness can be as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 
Sadly, 1.9 million older people often feel “ignored or invisible”.
According to Age UK: “Most people will feel lonely at some point in their lives. 
“It’s a deeply personal experience that - in most cases - will thankfully pass. 
“But for a growing number of people, particularly those in later life, loneliness can define their lives and have a significant impact on their wellbeing.”
The average age of our population is, of course, rising with better health lifestyles and more sophisticated medical advances. 
Being older doesn’t necessarily mean being wiser, but often the assumption that it’s a “young person’s world now” ignores the experience and advice that older people can bring to today’s problems.
Age certainly hasn’t slowed down the Rolling Stones, who performed in Dublin last month, a full 53 years after their first gig in the city. 
And despite the onset of Parkinson’s and being 75, comedian Billy Connolly is still hilarious – albeit not just as energetic at the young “Big Yin” in his crazy banana boots.
People living longer is all to the good, surely, but it does bring its issues. 
Many more people are surviving further into old age, but often it means they struggle financially, and how many times have we heard of older people having to choose between eat and heat? 
And despite those medical advances, many of our older people struggle with health problems, including dementia.
In many other societies, elderly relatives are integrated into the family unit quite easily. 
To be fair, we still do that here today, but many families are left with the tough choice of having to place their relative into a care home.
But, apart from the issues of finance and health, it’s often too easy to forget that there are many older people managing perfectly well living on their own. It’s just that they could do with an “hello” or simply being shown a little respect now again. 
They’re not all Victor Meldrews or grumpy old men.
It should be said that it’s not all gloom and doom for our older people. 
I enjoyed Meadhbh Monahan’s series in the Impartial when she interviewed older people having a fabulous time in their twilight years. 
There are many initiatives where the elderly get together and
time and again we see that older people certainly haven’t forgotten how to have fun. 
Good on them!
Dame Maggie Smith isn’t quite the same actress who starred in the wonderful “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” 
But she’s still enjoying life, and hopefully has a bit more enjoyment to come.
As are many of the older people in our community. Don’t forget them.