ALONE, the organisation that supports older people to age at home is celebrating everything #BefriendingIs for Befriending Week this November, 1st – 7th 2021.
Central to the culture of their organisation, ALONE are working towards achieving an Ireland where older people can age happily and securely at home while being strongly connected to their local communities.
Befriending Week aims to educate and promote the importance and value of intergenerational friendships. In addition to celebrating Befriending, ALONE are using this week to highlight the issues around loneliness.
ALONE’s Support & Befriending service provides friendship and the social and emotional support people need to stay healthy and connected. The organisation couples this with providing practical support to older people who need it. The service also provides assistance to solve everyday problems, and links the older person in with local events and activities.
Older people can opt to receive visits from a volunteer or a regular phone call, depending on the level of Support & Befriending they would prefer.
In 2021, ALONE Volunteers have clocked up 100,000 hours of volunteering while the number of calls and visits conducted by volunteers to older people has amounted to over 150,000. This was delivered by our roughly 3,500 volunteers who support nearly 8,000 older people. (Figures range from 1st January – 30th September 2021)
Seán Moynihan, CEO of ALONE said, “Older people are placed at the centre or everything we do. We ensure that they have access to all the necessary supports and services that they require, in order to age well at home. Our National network of volunteers, enable us to reach older people throughout all communities in Ireland and this week we really want to celebrate and thank them.
He continued, “Support & Befriending allows for us to plan for a better future we can make together for the older person with their volunteer. Over the past year, volunteers have had to navigate and adapt to changing rules and restrictions while supporting their older person during difficult and challenging times.”
If you are interested in Volunteering with ALONE, visit their website to fill out an Expression of Interest Form HERE.
If you an older person who would love to avail of the Support & Befriending Service, call ALONE’s National Support & Referral Line on 0818 222 024 from 8am – 8pm, seven days a week.
