Caring in the countryside: the challenges of rural Shropshire

If you close your eyes and think of Shropshire, it is easy to picture rolling hills, beautiful villages and bustling market towns. But behind the postcard scenery, rural life can present very real challenges for older people.

For those living in more remote parts of the county, distance, transport, limited local services and digital connectivity can all make it harder to stay independent and connected. For older people who no longer drive, even something as simple as getting to a medical appointment, visiting the shops or seeing friends can become considerably more difficult.

At Radfield Home Care Shrewsbury & Oswestry, we see how important local connections and practical support can be for people who want to remain living independently in their own homes.

As Jo Blackburn from Shropshire Rural Support says: “Shropshire is one of the UK’s most rural counties, which can offer both peace and tranquillity. However, its natural beauty also acts as a physical barrier that often compounds loneliness and isolation for older people.”

Getting around rural Shropshire

One of the biggest challenges facing older people in rural Shropshire is transport.

If you take rural transport as an example, Shropshire has suffered a massive decline. Between 2015 and 2023, the county lost over 63% of its local bus miles, the steepest drop in Britain. More recently, heavily subsidised routes, like the one between Bishop’s Castle, Clun and Ludlow, are being withdrawn.

The reduction in available services makes it harder for people without access to a car to travel between rural communities and larger towns. This can have a particular impact on older people who have stopped driving. Visiting a GP, attending a hospital appointment, collecting a prescription or simply doing the weekly shop can require considerable planning.

All of this exacerbates the isolation for older people who no longer drive, effectively stranding them. If they’re trying to get to hospital appointments, or get their hearing and eyesight checked, they often have to rely on the support of their family or the kindness of their neighbours.

Community transport schemes, including “dial-a-ride” services, can help bridge some of these gaps. In areas where conventional bus services are limited, these services can provide an important link to healthcare appointments, shopping trips and social activities.

But transport is about more than getting from A to B. Being able to leave the house, meet other people and remain part of the local community can be an important part of maintaining independence and wellbeing.

The loss of rural community spaces

And then there’s the loss of the spaces that traditionally held the countryside together.

Post offices and small shops are closing. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates that 338 pubs will close across the country this year alone. What’s more, church attendance is declining, leaving many villages with rarely used, historic church buildings.

All of this has combined to leave few natural gathering spaces for older people in rural Shropshire.

These places can provide much more than a practical service. A village shop, local pub, post office or church can also be somewhere to meet a neighbour, have a conversation and maintain those everyday social connections that can become increasingly important as people get older.

When these spaces disappear, opportunities for social interaction can disappear with them, potentially increasing feelings of loneliness and isolation.

The digital divide in rural Shropshire

The digital revolution, which is supposed to make life easier for everyone, isn’t the panacea that it’s supposed to be either.

The broadband and mobile signal in deeper parts of the county are patchy at best, which makes using apps or making video calls with family members additionally challenging.

For older people who may already find it difficult to get out and about, digital technology can provide an important connection to family and friends. But where broadband and mobile coverage are unreliable, that option isn’t always available.

This can leave some older people facing several barriers at once: limited transport, fewer local facilities and reduced opportunities to stay connected digitally.

Rural communities finding solutions

But it’s not all doom and gloom in Shropshire’s rural and countryside communities. People are coming together to create innovative solutions to these knotty problems.

Shropshire Rural Support, for example, embed their team members and volunteers at key rural hubs, like the Shrewsbury or Bridgnorth Livestock Auctions, to provide farmers and their families with a listening ear and mental and physical health care connections.

As Jo Blackburn says: “Our free confidential service is delivered by people with farming backgrounds who understand the ups and downs of farming, family farming businesses and living in the countryside. Most importantly they have the time to listen.”

And when it comes to transport issues, Shropshire has a network of community “dial-a-ride” services to bridge the gap in places where buses don’t come regularly, if at all.

For example, Broseley has its own Friendly Bus service that helps people access healthcare appointments, go on day trips or do their weekly shopping.

Community buildings, like village halls or church halls, are hosting warm hubs in colder weather, as well as mobile library services, coffee mornings and friendship groups.

And for those who can’t leave home easily, there are special befriending services by phone or letter organised through Shropshire-based charities like We Are Listening or OMEGA.

These initiatives show that, although rural communities face some very real challenges, local organisations and people are finding creative ways to help older people stay connected, supported and involved in their communities.

How Radfield Home Care is supporting rural Shropshire

Radfield Home Care is playing its part too.

As a company, we’re always looking where there are gaps in service and where systems aren’t always connecting with the people that need them. One of the initiatives we’re pioneering is a “Care in the Countryside” event, where we’re connecting the NHS, organisations that support the rural communities, funding bodies, care organisations and more, in order to solve some of the issues that Shropshire faces.

We want to challenge people to think differently and show that if you can’t easily get the care you need, then we can find ways of getting the care to you.

For people living in and around Shrewsbury, Oswestry and the wider rural communities of Shropshire, this is particularly important. Living further away from major services shouldn’t mean that someone has to give up their independence or leave the community they call home.

That’s why one of our Be There values is so important to us: we love supporting people to enjoy and get the most out of the relationships that are important to them.

For us, home care isn’t simply about helping with practical tasks. It’s about being there for people, helping them remain independent in their own homes and supporting them to maintain the relationships, routines and connections that make life meaningful.

Connection matters in rural Shropshire

But none of the challenges of getting older in the Shropshire countryside are easy to solve.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to make change happen.

Because connection in the countryside doesn’t happen by accident. Instead, it relies on local engagement, targeted funding and good neighbours.

It also relies on organisations, charities, healthcare providers and care services working together to find solutions that reflect the realities of rural life.

For older people living in rural Shropshire, staying connected can make all the difference. Whether that means being able to get to a hospital appointment, attend a coffee morning, speak to a family member online or simply receive a friendly visit at home, small things can have a significant impact on someone’s quality of life.

At Radfield Home Care Shrewsbury & Oswestry, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to grow older with dignity, independence and connection, wherever they live across Shropshire.