Mary Conway has been volunteering for 40 years, and even the outbreak of Covid-19 isn’t stopping the 70-year-old from continuing to help others in need.

Social Justice Ireland has called for social welfare rates to rise by €9 a week.

The Government is making a fresh push to entice older people to move out of their family homes and free up housing by gauging their interest in a series of financial and property incentives in the run-up to the next budget.

There are myriad examples of how that vague, mercurial entity “the market” has not delivered on the promise of the better future its champions assured us was inevitable once we placed our faith in investors and entrepreneurs.

At least 125 vulnerable people needed emergency payments to heat their homes during the Beast from the East storm — payments which were only guaranteed after the Government was forced to backtrack and provide the vital supports for those at risk.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is facing an angry public backlash after saying he will not write a “blank cheque” or “pick up the bill” for elderly people who keep their heating on constantly during the sub-zero ‘Beast From The East’ storm.

The Government has been urged to ‘show us the money’ and resolve years of pension discrimination against women, punished for taking time out of work to raise their children.

The Government is being urged to tackle growing poverty levels among pensioners.

Irish people could have to work until they are 70 to qualify for a state pension.

The Citizens' Assembly has heard calls for pensioners to be able to access funds tied up in their home in order to alleviate low income after retirement.

The Citizens’ Assembly is meeting this weekend to discuss the second topic on its agenda - the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population.

A RED C poll for HIQA today revealed the problem is on the increase.

Latest: The elderly victim of an aggravated burglary in Co. Tipperary and his wife have been named locally.

Age Action has called for the scrapping of mandatory retirement clauses which it said forced workers out of their jobs and facilitated ageism.

It’s nice to feel loved, isn’t it? As the clock slowly ticks down to budget day tomorrow, pensioners, blind people, widows, carers and people with disabilities have seemingly been at the forefront of every politicians’ mind.

Update - 2.15pm: Age Action hit out after advisers called for a shift in cultural norms over when people should stop work but stopped short of demanding reform to working into older age.

IT can be a very delicate subject to bring up, but one that needs to be addressed as part of the aging process — at what point should the older generation start giving the younger information and possibly some control of their elders’ financial situation? Gráinne McGuinness has some advice

The number of allegations of suspected or confirmed abuse of older people in nursing homes jumped by almost 20% last year.

The Coalition will today move to prove the economic recovery is benefiting every section of society by returning 75% of the Christmas bonus to struggling pensioners and social-welfare recipients — up from the 50% that had been flagged.

Elderly people living in nursing homes and their families will be told today whether they will have to pay more to access the vital later life supports provided under the Fair Deal scheme.

A woman has spoken of her living hell after contracting the rare and debilitating Lyme disease.

We need to tackle age discrimination and recognise the valuable contribution of older people, writes Bette Browne

JAMES REILLY’S ultimate health service goal — at least in his own eyes — was reform, but his replacement Leo Varadkar has started with a far simpler target: realism.

Age Action Ireland has called on the Government to divert the extra money it will get from this Thursday’s hike in tax on solid fuels to protect vulnerable pensioners.

Plans for nursing home residents to be hit with extra costs to have access to “toiletries” and other vital services would completely undermine existing policies meant to ensure their care.

Longer nursing home waiting lists, emergency department closures, a cull of 75,000 medical cards, and cancer screening cancellations all form part of a savage €1bn health service cutback next year.

Families are being urged to check on their elderly relatives and neighbours in the run-up to planned power outages.

Union leaders at ESB have announced they will serve notice of industrial action.

Ireland’s levy on pensions may last indefinitely in the light of the Government decision to change the operation of employees’ defined benefit schemes.

Brendan Howlin, the public expenditure minister, has put himself on a collision course with the HSE, warning it must sign up to his cost cutting plan laid down in last week’s budget.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan has said extra state funds will be made available for security alert systems for elderly people following the abolition of the phone allowance in the budget.

Older people are suffering from "real tension and fear" ahead of the Budget, according to Age Action Ireland.

LISTENING to Pat Kenny chat and effortlessly negotiate a packed radio schedule on Newstalk, he has made a seamless switch from RTÉ, where he had a 41-year tenure.

A national dementia and alzheimer’s service improvement plan which was meant to be implemented by the end of this year will fail to meet its target.

Vulnerable elderly people are set to be put on waiting lists for nursing home beds until rooms are “vacated”.

Frontline services and patients are set to suffer as a further €721m is shaved from this year’s health budget, the HSE has admitted.

A leading action group for the elderly has warned that rerouting money away from surgeries like hip replacements and cataracts to more serious, life-threatening conditions would “turn back the clock” on healthcare reform.