On International Day of Older People – 1 in 5 Irish older people live in deprivation
Today October 1st, is International Day of Older People, ALONE, the charity that cares for older people in need, is highlighting the fact that one in five Irish older people live in deprivation.
CEO of ALONE, Sean Moynihan said, “International Day of Older People is a time for older persons to celebrate the positive things in their life, to rejoice in their family, to celebrate their friends and to enjoy the rewards that they have earned through many years hard work. In ALONE, while we do celebrate these positives, every day we are in contact with people who are within the 20% of Irish older people that are at risk of poverty or living in deprivation. There is an unacceptable amount of older people within society with very little to celebrate and who are living without a range of basic human rights.”
Instead of becoming a more age – friendly country, Ireland’s number of older people who are marginalised or deprived has actually increased from 1 in 10 in 2009, to 1 in 5 in 2012. (Source CSO) 74,520 Irish people over the age of 65 are suffering enforced deprivation and of these 14,100 of them are also ‘at risk of poverty’.
CEO of ALONE Sean Moynihan continued, “This Government has consistently introduced cuts that adversely affect the most vulnerable in society; home help hours have been reduced, prescription charges have been introduced, the property tax has been brought in, it is harder to qualify for the drugs payment scheme and now they have introduced water charges. As well as this rental prices have increased dramatically and yet – there has been no increase to the state pension despite the fact that some older people receive a state pension which puts them below the poverty threshold.”
ALONE can be contacted on (01) 679 1032 for those who have concerns about their own wellbeing, or the wellbeing of a vulnerable older person in the community or visit www.alone.ie
Established in 1977, ALONE is an independent charity that works with the 1 in 5 older people who are homeless, socially isolated, living in deprivation or in crisis. We provide Supportive Housing, Befriending, Community Response and Campaigning services to hundreds of older people every week. We receive no Government funding for our day-to-day activities so we rely solely on the generosity of the public to continue our work. ALONE’s services are quality approved and are delivered 365 days a year.
The identification of the marginalised or deprived is currently achieved by the CSO on the basis of a set of eleven basic deprivation indicators:
- · Two pairs of strong shoes
- · A warm waterproof overcoat
- · Buy new (not second-hand) clothes
- · Eat meat with meat, chicken, fish (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day
- · Have a roast joint or its equivalent once a week
- · Had to go without heating during the last year through lack of money
- · Keep the home adequately warm
- · Buy presents for family or friends at least once a year
- · Replace any worn out furniture
- · Have family or friends for a drink or meal once a month
- · Had a morning, afternoon or evening out in the last fortnight for entertainment