ALONE – Show An Older Person You Care This Christmas

ALONE, the charity that supports older people to age at home, is asking members of the public to reach out to the older members of their community this Christmas and offer support to those who may be lonely or isolated.

Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE commented, “No one should feel alone at Christmas, however, in ALONE we meet many older people who have no one to celebrate this special time of year with. This Christmas we are asking members of the public to check in with their older neighbours and to show them that you care.  We can all be guilty of getting caught up in the build up to Christmas as we reunite with friends and family, but it is important to remember that many older people have no friends or family to reunite with.”

ALONE say that there are a number of ways that the public can help an older person this Christmas. These include; calling by an older persons house to say hello, ensuring they have enough food, medication and heat, bringing them out for a drive or to a social event and giving them a hand with their shopping.

As part of this year’s Christmas Campaign, ALONE is also urging older people not to be afraid to ask for the care and support they deserve and are entitled to.

Moynihan continued, “ALONE’s Christmas Campaign this year is not just about charity, it’s about rights. Older people not only deserve to live with dignity but they have a right to. We want them to know that they have a right to be supported, to receive the care they need and to live in a place of their own choosing.”

He concluded, “Over the winter period calls for support dramatically increase and loneliness is one of the main issues that older people face. Many older people think that by asking for help and support they are bothering people. We want them to know that they deserve more than a little help and support and they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it. For those who may feel that they have no one to ask for help, ALONE offers supports and services that can link older people back in with their community and neighbours.”

This Christmas Day, ALONE’s volunteers will bring hot Christmas dinners to over 100 older people living on their own. In the lead up to Christmas ALONE also hosted a social dinner dance, a vital social outlet for service users that was attended by over 180 older people. They also delivered over 500 hampers full of vital supplies to help older people who use ALONE services through the Christmas period and bring a little Christmas magic back into their lives.

ALONE’s most vital area of service provision during the winter months is the Support Coordination service, which deals with emergency calls for assistance as well as longer term supports in ensuring people can age at home with comfort, safety and security.

For those who have concerns about their own wellbeing, or the wellbeing of an older person in their community, ALONE can be contacted on (01) 679 1032. To make a donation and help aid ALONE’s work this Christmastime visit www.alone.ie