'It's supposed to be a happy time': People urged to visit lonely older people over new year

As the new year approaches, local advocate for the elderly Paddy O’Brien speaks to Breda Graham about the importance of visiting older people over what can be a lonely time for some
'It's supposed to be a happy time': People urged to visit lonely older people over new year

Local advocate for the elderly, Paddy O’Brien, has put out the call for people to make a conscious effort to check in on the elderly people in their community over the coming days and weeks. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

PEOPLE are being reminded to make the extra effort to visit elderly relatives, friends, and neighbours into the new year.

Christmas and the new year are traditionally a time of family reunions, festive cheer and laughter but, for many, it is a particularly lonely and isolating time.

Local advocate for the elderly, Paddy O’Brien, has put out the call for people to make a conscious effort to check in on the elderly people in their community over the coming days and weeks.

“Most people look forward to Christmas each year but there is a section of our community that dreads it. These are our elderly people, especially those who live alone, many of whom are housebound.

“This is supposed to be a happy time for all with family reunions, laughter, singing, and generally a great time of happiness, but what large numbers of the elderly are experiencing at this time of the year is sadness, tears and loneliness.

“It is those who live alone who are the real victims and they feel they are forgotten about or abandoned by their very own families.

“I know an 85-year-old lady who told me that four days prior to Christmas last year, a person called to see her and she didn’t see another visitor before January 8, and this is not an isolated case.

“This is happening to large numbers of senior citizens and that’s why I always stress the importance of this time of year to the elderly.”

Mr O’Brien said that family members, particularly sons and daughters, have “an important role to play in terms of the care of the aged”.

“Regrettably, some family members feel that if their elderly parent is living in a particular area where there is an active organisation caring for the aged, that their parents are looked after, that is not so and it is quite possible that the organisation may not even know that their parents exist.

“I have said on numerous occasions that loneliness is a disease that kills people and we must all do our utmost to bring some sunshine into the lives of elderly people this winter.

“The old traditions of visiting homes have changed drastically. Nobody knocks on the door anymore for a chat.

“I visit areas where there’s a high number of elderly people residing, they live next door to each other, side by side, and in many cases don’t even know each other.

“To avoid any fatalities among the elderly, we must all be vigilant, especially during the colder spell over the winter.”

Mr O’Brien said one of the greatest gifts an elderly person can receive over the new year is a knock on the door asking if they are okay or offering them a lift to Mass.

“This will mean so much to them and, as a result, they feel as though somebody cares about them and that they’re not forgotten about.

“Elderly people are also very religious and those housebound miss going to Mass. It would be a great gift if a neighbour contacted them to tell them they would collect them and bring them to Mass.”

Mr O’Brien said that elderly people are “doing their utmost to survive”, with many forced to administer their own medicines as they do not have access to home help or to a public health nurse.

“It’s almost a miracle that people can survive in conditions administering their own medication without the services that should be provided,” he said.

Echoing Mr O’Brien’s comments, the Chair of SHARE, Daniel Prestwich, said that visitations are a hugely important part of what SHARE provides throughout the year, but particularly during what is often a very lonely time for many.

“A lot of people are thinking of the festivities, the joy, spending time with their families and loved ones but for a lot of elderly, I think it just highlights what they have lost.

“It’s hugely important the work it does around Christmas and visitations are a big part of that,” he said.

He said that the provision of housing is another important role that SHARE plays within the community, with six complexes currently housing 140 people.

“If you think back to even 50 years ago, when SHARE didn’t exist, the conditions these people lived in were abhorrent and I think it really speaks to the work that SHARE does in our community that this isn’t really a thing anymore.”

He said the annual SHARE fundraising event, which sees many students donning the yellow jackets collecting across the city, is “a critical fundraising event” for the group, which he said raises awareness about what it does and what it provides for people in the community, particularly at this time of year.

He said the funds collected are used to run SHARE complexes, including each complex’s laundry service and refuse service, and to fund and provide funerals to those who may not have any family left when they pass.

“A huge one that people often overlook is funerals because a lot of these people don’t have a lot of family left and often their funeral could be completely SHARE run.

“So, in addition to funding it, it is just SHARE executives there and we, of course, do the readings and treat them with incredible dignity and respect. It’s our mantra that people must not be forgotten,” Mr Prestwich said.

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