A Covid-19 message from Older Voices Kildare

Owing to the recent Covid-19 outbreak, Older Voices Kildare has had to stop providing our one to one services.

However, we continue to be available on the phone, email and our Facebook page if people need to get in touch.

We know, this is a time of anxiety and fear, and perhaps a feeling of loneliness has now grown deeper because of the need for isolation.

We are also aware that isolation creates a lot of questions like “how will I get my shopping?” or “how will I collect my pension?”

The good news in all this worry, is that a huge number of people are stepping up and volunteering to help in just those circumstances.

The goodness and kindness and the concern for people who are vulnerable is comforting and uplifting.

While those lists are mainly on social media, if you are not on social media give us a ring and we will get you the contact details if there is a service in your area.

Similarly, if you need to nominate a trusted person to collect your pension, and you can’t get the form because it’s online, contact us and we will make sure you have one.

It’s important to try to keep our minds and bodies strong, by using the time to do a little or a lot of what we love.

It’s still ok to get out for a walk, but if that’s not possible, maybe take back up your knitting or your sudoku, or books or jigsaws, to keep yourselves entertained.

There are other services, helplines like Alone and the HSE and The Samaritans, if you are finding it difficult to cope. Good Morning Kildare offer a telephone befriending service, where you can receive a daily or weekly phone call from a trained volunteer.

We are also happy to talk to you and try, as best we can to alleviate your concerns or just keep you virtual company for a little while.

If you are feeling anxious, remember help is just a phone call away. And please be mindful of information you share with people you don’t know very well.

The information for the contacts mentioned are :

HSE : 1850241850

Alone : 0818222024

Samaritans : 116123

Older Voices Kildare:

Denise Croke : 0871411669

Susan Higgins: 0871149175.