Help us leave no one ALONE at Christmas
ALONE want your time this Christmas as they support older people across the county
23rd November 2021, Dublin ALONE, the organisation that supports older people to age at home, has launched their Christmas campaign today, containing a revelation: the secret to combatting loneliness and social isolation. Christmas Ambassador Páraic Duffy was joined by older people, Aideen Archbold and Tony Durkan to launch the campaign at The Grayson, St Stephens Green, Dublin 2. The Ambassadors remind the public that we are facing into another challenging winter so let’s ensure that nobody has to face these difficult issues while being alone.
ALONE’s campaign entitled, ‘ALONE at Christmas’, offers the public first-hand advice as to how they too can end the silent epidemic of loneliness and social isolation amongst our older people. The secret? The gift of you. Over the past two years, the organisation says, we have proven the strength of our community and the power of connection. This significant partnership of community and connection have in turn helped to provide the answer to loneliness. You are the vital piece needed to reconnect our older people to the community in order for them to feel supported and like they belong.
The pandemic is ageist and some older people have slowly lost their social significance and connection over the past two years as they, and we, continue to navigate the unknown of this pandemic. At times throughout the year, we have been awarded some freedom from lockdowns, yet the recovery for older people has not been as liberating, only intensifying their devaluation and neglect in society.
Can you imagine being alone at Christmas? Being alone at a time of year that is associated with words like merry, joy, peace, love, celebration and jolly. ALONE stresses how proud we are to be part of the community efforts since the beginning of the pandemic and the accomplishments that this small Country achieved when it came to social inclusion and care for our older people. But we are not done yet and we must not stop now?
ALONE’s Christmas Ambassador, Páraic Duffy reflects on what this campaign means to him, “The pandemic has been hard on people of all ages but it has been particularly tough on our older people. The continued need for them to isolate/hideaway has had drastic effects on their mental health and wellbeing. Now, more than ever, we need individuals in the local community to reach out to their older neighbours and give them the gift of companionship. No one wants to spend Christmas alone nor do we want to see others feel alone.”
Seán Moynihan, CEO of ALONE said, “ALONE are asking that every single person pledges one act of giving in support of our Christmas campaign, ‘ALONE at Christmas’. This time last year the community supports were, in every respect, lifesaving for older people. We’ve seen and continue to work with the Community Gardaí, GAA, An Post and all our partners checking in on older people all across the Country, no matter how rural and isolated you may have been. The Irish Rural Link or the Irish Red Cross were critical in organising transportation to and from hospitals for essential medical appointments. Having these partnerships meant that we were able to support the thousands of older people who came to us for support.”
He continued, “We are a small but mighty Country and we’ve realised that each and every individual holds the power to combatting loneliness and social isolation. Stand with ALONE this Christmas and pledge to participate in the gift of giving yourself.
Help end loneliness for the isolated across Ireland this Christmas. You are the solution, don’t waste the opportunity to make someone feel like you care. Make it your mission to leave no one ALONE this Christmas!
If you or someone you know needs support this Christmas, please call our National Support and Referral Line on 0818 222 024 from 8am – 8pm, seven days a week. ALONE operates 365 days a year so we will be there to take your call when you need us most.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
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