Tag Archives: Senior Help Line

There is a largely unacknowledged silent killer of older people – and it’s called loneliness. A 2000 study by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland found that more than eight times the number of older people living alone felt lonely compared to the general population. A European study has linked isolation to mental health problems, including depression and self-harm, (Eurostat 2011), and more recently, a UK survey found that social isolation among older people was associated with increased risk of death. Loneliness may be lethal and is currently affecting at least 25,000 older people in Ireland. This is the number of calls Senior Help Line – Ireland’s only national telephone listening service for older people – received last year. In most calls loneliness was either expressed or implied. On Thursday, the 25th anniversary of UN International Day of Older Persons, the Minister of State Kathleen Lynch will promote the value of contact between people of all ages by joining …

Senior Help Line has noted an increase in calls from older people in recent days who are concerned about Budget 2015, which will be unveiled on this Tuesday. Callers are worried about money matters, potential increases to the cost of living and further cuts to vital services in their areas. They are concerned about how the budget will affect them and there is a fear that further allowances or benefits will be lost. Many older people are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, Senior Help Line noted. Data released in the Global Age Watch Index 2014 showed that the incidence of poverty among older people is on the rise in Ireland.  The report indicated that old age poverty has reached 7.6pc which is a 12.1pc increase on previous years. Current Senior Help Line experience affirms this increased poverty among older people. The non – contributory state pension offers recipients a basic rate of €219 per week, and with …