Dublin, 20th October: ALONE the charity that supports older people in Ireland launched its annual report today. The report comes after a challenging 2021 which saw ALONE interact with the largest number of older people in its history. It has grown as an organisation, but this is due to the increased demand for its services. Alarmingly today over 100,000 older people still live in poverty or at risk of poverty and there over 120,000 more people over the age of 55 experiencing loneliness in the last 3 years.
ALONE continues to assist older people across Ireland through its Support Coordination model with befriending supports, telephone supports, training on digital literacy, assistive technology, social prescription and housing supports.
2021 was a unique year for all that started with COVID 19 restrictions still place and then dealt with the challenges of a society opening up. This opening up period was challenging for a lot of older people as the tide of community supports receded for some leaving massive amounts of loneliness especially among our older people who had been required to shelter away for their own protection.
The theme of the report is very much Growth and Integration, focusing on an increase in older people we worked with through our great volunteers and staff. The summary below highlights some of the major achievements made:
Upon release of the report ALONE CEO Seán Moynihan commented, “The report shows us that we are on course to meet our challenging targets set out in our Strategic Plan. The way we have done and will do that is by continuing to grow as a national organisation and integrate our services together as demand grows for our work across Ireland. This is made possible by the selfless work of so many volunteers, staff, partner organisations and supporters of which I am very grateful and proud.”
He went on to say “…as we approach difficult economic times, we as an organisation, the NGO sector, and the rest of the country must continue to evolve our attitudes and solutions to the outstanding questions that still face growing old in Ireland. I believe that ALONE is better positioned than ever to continue the fight to grow old at home with dignity, and to secure the necessary policy changes that will allow future generations to do the same. We must never stop looking for new and innovative ways of solving long-lasting problems as well as those new challenges that present in an uncertain world.”
ALONE Chairperson Joe Sheehy stated, “After 2020, we felt as though the pandemic was more predictable during 2021, and thanks to the work done in 2020, ALONE was much better equipped to work through the pandemic and provide quality research and support to our older people. ALONE has continued to respond rapidly during 2021 with the continued delivery of our vision, we hope to continue to do so as we look to continue to help older people through the aftermath of the pandemic as well as uncertain economic times that undoubtedly lie ahead.”
ALONE is also encouraging anyone to contact us to refer an older person or to get some support for themselves on our National Support & Referral line 0818 222 024. This is going to be a hard winter but there are supports that ALONE & partners can help with to get through it together.
ALONE released a short video to mark the launch today also.
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Service Manager
Kevin White
089 409 0549
Balbriggan, Skerries & Lusk
Vacant
0818 222 024
St. Margaret”s, Finglas & Glasnevin
Maura O’Shea
0818 222 024
Telephone Support Coordinator
Michael Kennedy
086 440 2894
Telephone Support Coordinator
Jacob Shakespeare
Telephone Support Coordinator
Anne Marie mc Allister
086 440 7825
Telephone Support Officer
Vacant
0818 222 024
Telephone Support Officer
Sharon McManus
0818 222 024
Telephone Support Officer
Vacant
0818 222 024
Service Manager
Greg O’Reilly
083 385 1221
North Meath & Ardee
Paula Boyce
0818 222 024
East Meath
John Stillman
0818 222 024
Location tbc
Vacant
0818 222 024
Telephone Support Coordinator
Anne Murphy
086 035 3904
Volunteer Support Officer
Frances Sheerin
086 108 5965
National Support Line Coordinators
National Support Line Coordinators
National Support Line Coordinators
National Support Line Coordinators
Aoife Callaghan
Sarah kerr
Aoife Callaghan
Bridgeen Coyle
086 032 6801
087 179 3782
086 032 6801
086 014 6732
Service Manager
Natalie Johnson
083 062 5854
South Dublin Inner City
Vacant
0818 222 024
Rathfarnham, Knocklyon & Ballyboden
Vacant
0818 222 024
Newcastle, Citywest & Saggart
Joe Sullivan
0818 222 024
Northwest Kildare
Annemarie Molloy
Patricia Scanlon
086 013 7256
Service Manager
Shelby Unger
083 060 2419
Volunteer Support Officer
Grainne Kennedy
086 108 2524
Volunteer Support Officer
Vacant
0818 222 024
Service Manager
Lola Fitzgibbon
086 084 1360
Southwest Wexford
Natalia Gembicka
086 014 4915
Service Manager
Siobhan Walsh
086 084 1674
Northeast Cork
Vacant
0818 222 024
Central Cork
Veronica Reidy
Clare Seymour
086 075 3867
086 107 9433
Telephone Support Coordinator
Geraldine Commins
086 013 1570
Volunteer Support Officer
Mairead Egan
087 253 1380
Volunteer Support Officer
Maria O’Connor
Volunteer Support Officer
Tracey Kearney
086 440 9893
Service Manager
Martina Kinane
087 407 4085
Caroline Bradley
West Limerick
Margaret Collum
Volunteer Support Officers
Aoife Dennehy
086 211 5307
Volunteer Support Officers
Vacant
0818 222 024
Service Manager
Ciaran Gilligan
083 878 6080
Service Manager
Frances Browne
087 751 6087
Inishowen (CHN Learning Site)
Bronagh Doyle
086 171 6984
Inishowen (CHN Learning Site)
Gráinne Hargan
West Donegal
Emma Kennedy
086 720 8686
Donegal inishowen
Vacant
0818 222 024
Telephone Support Coordinator
Deirdre Browne
074 932 1598
Telephone Support Coordinator
Catherine Reilly
National Support & Referral Line Coordinator
Kathleen Bonner