ALONE, the organisation which enables older people to age safely at home, is urging the Irish public to share their warmth with older people this Christmas.
Supporting the launch of ALONE’s Christmas campaign at Bewley’s Café in Dublin, legendary RTÉ newsreader Eileen Dunne said: “We all have the power to make one older person’s Christmas that bit brighter. That’s what the idea of sharing your warmth is about – supporting ALONE, looking in on an older neighbour, making a call to an older relative, letting older people know they’re valued and loved at this time of year.
Newsreader Dunne was joined at the event by several ALONE volunteers and the older people they support, as well as by ALONE CEO Seán Moynihan, who said: “It’s great to have a trusted voice like Eileen’s supporting this campaign, which is all about drawing on that trust and community spirit to make sure no-one gets left behind this Christmas.”
Moynihan continued, “By the end of December, ALONE will have supported around 40,000 older people across 2024 and made nearly 300,000 phone calls supporting people across Ireland. Our incredible volunteers and staff are there for older people 365 days of the year, but Christmas is a great time to reflect on how far we’ve come, and the challenges older people still face in health, finance and housing issues.”
“This year, we expect to deliver over a thousand Christmas dinners to older people throughout the country. There are thousands of older people who’ll be the life and soul of the Christmas festivities this year, in their families and communities. But for some, that knock on the door from an ALONE volunteer might be the only visit they get this Christmas.”
Outlining the changing demographics of modern Ireland, Moynihan said, “We are the fastest ageing population in Europe and that makes Ireland older people the fastest growing age group. We are living longer, healthier lives but ageing is not the same for all.”
He continued, “We have a loneliness epidemic in Ireland, 57% of the older people we assessed report feeling lonely, and that’s especially acute at Christmas. The best way to share your warmth is to look in on an older neighbour, make sure they’re safe, warm and comfortable, and remember that our National Support and Referral Line – 0818 222 024 – is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, including over Christmas.”
With the charity making over 18,000 calls to older people in Ireland this October alone, the need for ALONE’s services has never been more apparent. Moynihan called on the public to demand a better future for Ireland’s rapidly ageing population, set to grow by 800,000 over the next fifteen years, with five-eighths of those people aged 65 or over.
“We’re launching our campaign this year in the middle of an election season”, said Moynihan. “I think it’s really important that, when parties and candidates are asking for your votes, that you ask them how they’re planning for our ageing population: for new housing models, to changes in our health system and energy infrastructure, the action plan to combat loneliness, all the essentials we need to plan for that future.”
Moynihan concluded by thanking the Irish public for its ongoing support. “ALONE was founded back in 1977 because the people of Ireland stood up to support our older people. We couldn’t do what we do without that public support. You will never know the impact of a single call, a single visit, a single Christmas card to an older person. So please do what you can to share your warmth, and please keep supporting us by going to www.alone.ie to donate or volunteer.”