Young urged to respect older people at Halloween

IT’S fun for the young, but Halloween can be a nightmare for many older people.

Now a national support group is urging young people celebrating the traditional holiday to show respect for their elders.

“We’re not killjoys, but every day we receive five to 10 calls from older people who are living in fear,” said Mary Nally of Third Age, the active retirement group based in Summerhill, Co Meath.

“As we enter the winter months, many older people find it a difficult time, feeling alone and isolated and afraid, often confined to home as a result of the dark evenings,” Ms Nally said.

“At this already stressful time their distress is increased by a bombardment of loud bangs, as unruly and unsupervised children and teens try to out-do each other. It’s not the bangers and sky rockets that we object to, but the wanton disregard for other people, stuffing fireworks into letter boxes, throwing them at people and animals,” she added.

She suggested Halloween celebrations that involved fireworks should be confined to green spaces away from houses. Revellers should ensure the events were supervised and did not interfere with other people’s safety, security, privacy or property, Ms Nally said.

Since 1998 older people have been able to ring Third Age’s senior help line (1850 440 444) for the price of a local call and be sympathetically listened to by trained people of their own age group.

Meanwhile, 8,000 An Post pensioners have received none of the increases due under Sustaining Progress since November 2003, An Post pensioners’ association secretary JJ Higgins said yesterday.

“I’m a retired postman on €242 a week. I’m due this €10 since November 1 of last year and I think I should be paid it,” he said.

Backing the pensioners’ demand, Steve Fitzpatrick, general secretary, Communications Workers’ Union, demanded that vulnerable pensioners should not be victimised.