EDITORIAL: Check in with those living alone this Christmas

CHRISTMAS is a great time for celebrating and enjoying the company of family and friends, but it can also be a lonely time for those who are fending for themselves and living alone.
Alone, the charity that helps older people to age at home, recently launched its Christmas campaign ‘Share Your Warmth’.
The aim of the campaign is to ask the public to share their warmth this Christmas – the warmth of friendship and time, as well as financial support – so that the organisation can help older people struggling with the increasing cost of living and the growing levels of loneliness across Ireland.
The charity has continued to see a sharp increase in demand for its services as the number of older people experiencing hardship continues to rise. Shockingly, one in five over 65 year olds are living in poverty today, a phenomenon that is mostly unseen, the hardship playing itself out behind a closed door. Since the start of 2023, Alone has provided 30,000 individual supports to older people, in every town and city in Ireland. This is a huge increase on last year.
Ahead of the festive season, Alone CEO Seán Moynihan issued a simple plea: “We are looking for people to respond to our call to action to help us help older people who need our services. This can be done by volunteering your time, spreading the word or making a donation. We do not want anyone to be alone or struggling this Christmas. You can be the difference and help to ‘Share your Warmth’.”
Alone has also received more than 10,000 calls to their National Support and Referral Line so far this year. Calls to the line are from older people experiencing difficulties with housing, isolation and loneliness, mental health, finances and much more. Seven in ten people that contact Alone are experiencing loneliness.
If you or someone you know needs support this winter, contact Alone’s National Support and Referral Line on 0818 222024, which is open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. Alone operates 365 days a year, so someone will be there to take your call. For donations, visit alone.ie/donate.