Friendly voices just a phone call away
As many residents of rural Ireland are all too well aware, basic services such as garda stations, hospitals, post offices and small schools have been closed or are under threat of closure. This is not likely to encourage young families to settle in rural areas and help to redress the loss of so many to emigration.
For many people, the values and culture inherent in rural living is precious and to be cherished. The problems with what is often an independent and self-sufficient lifestyle tend to arise, as people get older and are not so easily able to manage. Then personal security, a lack of public transport and isolation can become major concerns and can seriously affect a hitherto happy way of life. And it is at such junctures in a persons’ life journey that small communities can come into their own. Even if you don’t see your neighbours as often as you used to, you know them and they know you and there is a natural inclination to look out for each other.
But any amount of goodwill still needs organisation to make it function effectively. It has been estimated that some 50,000 older persons in Ireland are living in isolation and have minimal social contact with others. And isolated people are particularly vulnerable in times of illness or if they experience a personal crisis, such as the death of a spouse.
According to research, accessibility to transport is a vital factor in facilitating good social contacts with family, friends and their community in general. Those who have no access to transport have reported significantly higher levels of loneliness. Those who were unable to get out independently said that this increased feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Neighbourhood Alert Schemes, Personal Alarms, Rural Transport, and Active Retired Groups are just some of the measures that have been embraced by rural communities. In 2004, the West Cork Development Partnership introduced an important addition to these community projects.
Care Ring offers a service of daily phone calls to older people and is serviced by volunteers from all walks of life who have varied interests and backgrounds. Volunteer Ann O Sullivan said that the people she speaks to love their chats “I keep them updated on any new schemes which might benefit them and they talk about everything from gardening to current affairs and they can share a problem or a particular concern.” Loneliness has often been identified as being as bad for the health as obesity or alcohol abuse. Care Ring also offers a wide range of social outings and activities and encourages people to socialise and perhaps re-establish old friendships.
This dynamic service is now available in many areas of West Cork and was recently made available to the residents of Ballydehob, a village that’s well known for its community ethos. Its aim is to ensure that everyone in the community has access to daily contact outside the home.
Ballydehob’s Community Garda John Mc McCarthy is a man who takes great pride in both his profession and his community and welcomes the opportunity to be at the forefront of the various schemes the community operates.
Q. John, Ballydehob has managed to keep its Garda service.
A. “Yes, they fought hard for that. They are a fantastic community .The Ballydehob Community Alert Committee was formed last year in response to an increase in burglaries in the area. Over two hundred people turned up for the initial meeting, which was an incredible number, and we’ve gone from strength to strength. A recent coffee morning to launch the Care Ring Service raised over a thousand euro. It’s all to do with the community coming together to protect and watch out for each other, and to do everything we can to combat rural isolation.”
Q. The Community Alert group have, with the help of the Gardai, initiated a number of important schemes I believe?
A. “ Yes we have and Ian O Callaghan, our Garda Crime Prevention Officer has been very supportive. We have 150 people signed up to the community text alert system. With the recent increase in day time burglaries information was sent out through the text alert telling people to be on the look out for suspicious cars and bogus callers who were focusing on carrying out crimes against the most vulnerable in our community. We’ve also installed 50 personal alarms, bogus caller buttons and over 200 ten-year battery alarms installed in the community. We’ve organised carbon monoxide alarms and hi -visibility vests”
Q. That’s quite a list.
A “It’s just some of the services the Community Alert group have provided over the last six months We’ve also introduced computer training to 35 people within the Ballydehob area. The Committee have been working very hard and now more volunteers are needed so that even more services can be provided to the community within the Ballydehob area. 26 per cent of the population of the Mizen are over 65, and it is very rewarding to see the difference schemes like Care Ring can make. A chat with someone is one of life’s great pleasures.”
Q. Are you a local man John?
A. “I’m from a farming background, just outside Clonakilty and I’m delighted to be working in this area. Anything we can do to help, tackle the issues and say no to rural isolation makes my job more than worthwhile. For our next venture, we are looking at starting a Job Seekers Resource Centre that would open for a few hours every week. And of course, new volunteers are always needed”
BASEMENT. PERSONAL MONITORED ALARMS.
Ballydehob Community Alert has teamed up with Emergency Response to provide a service, which enables the user to get help by pressing a single button. To be eligible, a person must be 65 or older, living alone and of limited means. The first year monitoring is free and a fee of 65 euro a year thereafter. The units have a ten-year warranty.
BOGUS CALLER BUTTON.
This is an emergency alert button that is installed at the front door to allow an alarm call to be made if the resident feels threatened. It works in conjunction with the personal alarm.
CARE AND REPAIR SERVICE.
Ballydehob Community Alert have teamed up with Age Action and are in the process of setting up this service to carry out minor repairs for older and vulnerable people free of charge, to enable older people to remain in their own homes, in their own communities and living as independently as possible through the improvement to their housing conditions and their level of comfort, security and well being.
TEXT ALERT.
Promoted by Muintir na Tire, the text alert has proved to be a vital tool in the fight against crime in rural Ireland. Recently a number of older persons in the Mizen area were targeted by callers who said they were from An Post, and asked if they could check their pension money for counterfeit notes, then made off with the money. The Gardai were notified and a community text alert was sent out to all those signed up to receive the text alert. www.ballydehobcommunityalert@gmail.com
