Press Release

The Minister for Older People Kathleen Lynch today officially launched a free guide, offering key advice to help older people using oil home heating to stay safe and warm throughout the winter period.

Age Action is urging the general public to visit older neighbours this Christmas, especially those living alone.

Age Action has expressed concern that footage of serious mistreatment and abuse of adults with intellectual disability at a HSE residential home, filmed by an undercover RTE reporter, highlights major structural failures in the systems designed to protect vulnerable people.

Age Action is urging all older people to ensure they have a working carbon monoxide alarm fitted in their home, in the wake of a serious incident in Cork at the weekend.

Christmas FM, Ireland’s favourite charity radio station, returns to the airwaves at noon tomorrow (Saturday, November 29), playing round-the-clock festive hits!  This year Age Action is the station’s charity partner.

Age Action welcomes the announcement of increased funding for a number of key programmes for older people in the HSE Service Plan for 2015, but remains concerned that additional resources are needed to address  the growing health and social care needs of Ireland’s ageing population.

Age Action has launched its first Christmas single which it hopes will spread a little festive cheer, while raising much needed funds for its work with older people.

Age Action has urged the Government to bring forward the payment date for the €100 grant for households  in order to reduce the impact which the water charges will have on low income families.

Trudy Nealon (70) from Laois has been named as the overall winner of 2014 Google Silver Surfer Awards with Age Action. Trudy uses technology on a daily basis for everything, as treasurer of the Portlaoise Active Retirement Association, she is also responsible for the administration of the club, managing its finances and membership database.

Age Action today launched a booklet on the lived experience of growing older in Ireland which highlights the wide ranging impact which austerity is having on older people.