Last weeks report by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, highlighting the loneliness experienced by the older people in Ireland has touched a chord with Mary Allen, coordinator of Avondhu Blackwater Partnership’s Community Connect Programme. The report highlighted the consequences of declining public services, including reductions in the rural transportation options available, difficulty in dealing with automated telephone systems used by public companies and increasing feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Commenting on the report Mary said this week “the publicity the report has created is good because it highlights an issue we have put substantial time and resources into. Avondhu Blackwater Partnership has a dedicated programme which is designed to address these very issues”.
The Community Connect is designed to tackle rural isolation, through several measures; a telephone befriending service that makes over 350 calls every week, a handyman service to organise odd jobs to be done around the house as well as a series of day trips and events to look forward to.
In addition to this, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership also run a Rural Transport Scheme, that travels on many of the routes not covered by public transport, which is heavily utilised by the older members of society.
Mary was keen to stress that though the findings of the report might make for uncomfortable reading, solutions to these issues are already in play across the country. “Those people experiencing isolation should contact their local development company, or if they don’t know the number ask a neighbour or friend to find it out for them. Avondhu Blackwater Partnership has put huge effort into tackling this issue, and we welcome new participants all the time. Loneliness need not be something you have to put up with”.
For further information on the range of services available to the older members of our society contact Avondhu Blackwater Partnership on 025 33411, or info@avondhublackwater.com
Avondhu Blackwater Partnership Ltd 