Every fifth elderly person in Israel is forced to give up heating the house in the winter/ShutterStock
In a survey conducted by the Friendship Fund through a geocartography group headed by Prof. Avi Degani and Dr. Rina Degani, issues related to seniors' need for essential needs for the winter were examined. in the costs of electricity in the winter.
The survey shows that:
• 23%, about a quarter of the 65-69 year olds, have been financially harmed since October 7
• Every fifth elderly person in Israel is forced to give up heating the house during the winter for financial reasons
• 18% of the elderly report difficulty paying the electricity bill
• 9% of the elderly sometimes give up using hot water in the winter
. Also, 16% of the respondents to the survey testified that their household experienced economic damage as a result of the war, with about 10% of them having to give up heating, 3% saved on food expenses and the rest saved on other expenses.
The age group that experienced the most significant economic damage following the war is between the ages of 65 - 69, when 23% of this group answered positively that their household was financially damaged as a result of the events of October 7 and the Iron Swords War. Among the age group of 70 - 74, this is about 17% And among those aged 75 and over, it is about 14%.
18% of all respondents report difficulty paying the electricity bill, with 4% having difficulty paying often.
Over NIS 10 million for the winter period
Due to the situation, the Friendship Fund allocated over NIS 10 million for assistance during the winter period to approximately 27 thousand elderly people and families.
As part of the aid, the Friendship Fund distributes: 25,000 "Golden Note" vouchers worth NIS 400 per voucher, for the benefit of heating assistance for the elderly and needy families through the social services departments in the local authorities;
About 30,000 thousand shekels for 500 elderly people to purchase emergency lighting as part of the activities of the field teams and volunteers of the foundation;
About 1,000 thermoses and thermal cups for the elderly evacuees with a total value of 57,000 NIS; 420 blankets for the elderly in the authorities and beneficiaries with respect and friendship with a total value of over 28,000 NIS;
And over 1,600 seniors received soup kits sponsored by "Collect Israel" in the matching program in the amount of 356,200 thousand dollars.
"A sense of security in days of insecurity"
Emma Wein, 84, a Holocaust survivor
who lives in a rented apartment in Ashkelon says: "I've lived in Ashkelon for 15 years and I love this city and being near the sea. In the past when there were rocket attacks on the city I wasn't afraid, but this time it's different. I feel tension and it's hard for me to function and my health deteriorated greatly. The cold winter nights remind me of life in Moscow during the war. I did not believe that I would experience such a war again."
Emma has been receiving food parcel assistance from the Friendship Fund for the past few years and recently received heating equipment.
"I was very excited to receive a warm blanket these days. I still use the same blanket I brought from Moscow when we ran away more than thirty years ago. Now, thanks to the foundation, I have a new blanket. It gives me a sense of security in these days of insecurity."
The president of the Friendship Fund, Yael Ekstein
: "The findings of the survey we conducted cause great concern. The winter period is always a challenging time for the elderly population, but in a state of war, the economic and emotional difficulties intensify even more. Therefore, we at the Friendship Fund, who help this population throughout the year, have decided To put a special emphasis on them and ease their difficulties in this complex period by providing tailored assistance - whether by giving vouchers to buy heating equipment for independent elderly people; installing emergency lighting by our field teams; distributing kerboli to elderly people who have been evacuated from their homes or distributing nutritious soup kits."
The data is based on a telephone survey conducted during the month of January 2024 among citizens aged 65 and over who are a national and representative sample of the elderly population in the State of Israel.
More on the same topic:
elderly people
distress
economy
needy
electrical power
Heating
winter
contribution
The friendship fund