ALONE Urges Public to “Share Your Warmth” this Christmas Day

ALONE urges the public to help older people overcome loneliness this Christmas.

Dublin, 25th December 2025: ALONE, the organisation that enables older people to age well at home, is asking members of public to share their warmth with older people this Christmas season.

ALONE’s volunteers will deliver 2,000 Christmas dinners nationwide this Christmas Day, reflecting the growing need for support among older people this year.

Across the country, ALONE volunteers will contribute over 22,000 hours in December to support older people in their communities. ALONE’s staff have also made more than 20,000 calls to older people to check in on their needs ahead of Christmas and to provide whatever support is required.

Ireland’s aging population is driving unprecedented demand for ALONE’s services and supports. By the end of this year, ALONE is projected to have supported approximately 46,000 older people. This demand continues to grow annually, particularly among the 30% of older people in Ireland who live alone. Today, nearly 200,000 older people live alone, and two-thirds of those supported by ALONE fall into this group.

ALONE CEO Seán Moynihan says: “One of our great strengths in Ireland is our sense of community. We’re asking people to draw on those connections this Christmas – to look out for your older neighbours who may be more vulnerable or isolated. Being alone at Christmas is especially lonely, and, with many services shut down or not available, it can also be hazardous. So, if you’ve any concerns at all, do the neighbourly thing, check in, reach out, offer support, and don’t assume that someone else has done it”.

ALONE’s services and supports remain available across the entire Christmas period. ALONE’s National Support & Referral Line is available seven days a week, including on Christmas Day, from 8am – 8pm on 0818 222 024. Further information can be found on www.alone.ie.

ALONE encourages older people to call the National Support & Referral Line if they find themselves needing some support over Christmas. Concerned family, neighbours and health professional can also call the number if they’re worried about the wellbeing of an older person in their area.

Those wishing to support older people on an ongoing basis are asked to consider becoming an ALONE volunteer in the New Year. Moynihan said: “Volunteering is a hugely rewarding experience for both the older person and the volunteer. Our volunteers contribute almost a

quarter of a million hours to supporting older people each year, but with an ageing population, the need keeps growing. So please, if you can spare a couple of hours a week to brighten the life of an older person, please sign up at alone.ie”.

Practical supports to support older people over Christmas:

· Ensure older neighbours are keeping their homes warm if temperatures drop, and that they are following practical advice to stay safe in the cold.

· Check in with older neighbours, friends and relative to ensure that they are keeping themselves warm, and that they have enough food and medicines.

· Take a moment to stop and chat – a simple conversation can make someone’s day.

If you are concerned about an older person over the festive period, refer them to ALONE for support on 0818 222 024. ALONE’s National Support & Referral Line is available seven days a week, all over the holiday season, from 8am – 8pm. Further information can be found on www.alone.ie.