The Seniors Alert Scheme provides funding for a free personal monitored alarm for people aged 65 and older and of limited means. The scheme is intended to support older people to live securely and independently in their homes. The Seniors Alert Scheme is administered by Pobal, a not-for-profit company that manages programmes on behalf of the Irish Government and the EU. You must contact a community or voluntary group in your area who are registered with Pobal to access the scheme (see ‘How to apply’ below). Who is eligible for the scheme? To be eligible for the Seniors Alert Scheme, you must be aged 65 or over and have limited means or resources. You must also be any of the following: Living alone Living alone for significant periods of time during the day Living with someone who meets the criteria Caring for someone else in your household You must live in the area covered by the registered group administering the funding and be able to benefit from the equipment being supplied. You also need to be willing to keep contact with the registered group. Costs All equipment and installation under the scheme is free. The alarm monitoring service is free for the first year. After the first year, you will be asked to pay the annual monitoring fee. The annual monitoring fee will vary by service provider and the type of alarm or pendant supplied. Your local group can tell you about the cost in advance. If there is no suitable landline available in your home and a mobile signal is used to connect to the equipment, you may have to pay a fee for mobile SIM rental. What type of equipment can I get? Funding is available to buy and install monitored personal alarms, which can be worn as a pendant or around your wrist like a watch. These alarms connect to a national helpline through a base unit installed in your home. When the alarm is activated, it automatically rings the helpline, which is open 24 hours a day all year round. A helpline operator talks to you in your home and decides whether to alert a local volunteer responder or, if necessary, the emergency services. Equipment supplied under the scheme remains the property of the registered group and must be returned to the group if no longer needed. How do I get the equipment? You must contact a community or voluntary group registered in your area. The registered community or voluntary group will: Assess your eligibility for the scheme and complete the application form with you Identify the equipment required and get quotations from suppliers Submit the application and supporting documentation to Pobal You will be asked to confirm that you understand the purpose and use of the equipment and that you will be responsible for the annual monitoring fee after the first year. How to Apply Registered community or voluntary groups apply to Pobal on the older persons behalf. Pobal does not accept applications from individuals. If you feel you may be eligible for the Seniors Alert Scheme, you should contact the group registered to operate the scheme in your area. Pobal publishes a list of registered organisations on its website. Seniors Alert Scheme (SAS) You can also contact Pobal at the address below for details of your local group. Groups wishing to register for the scheme can register online at pobal.ie. What groups can register as providers of the scheme? Community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations can apply to register with Pobal for the scheme. They must have a recognised structure and be able to show that they can manage the grants. They must also have a record of working with older people in the community. A group will not be able to register if there is an existing group operating the scheme in the area. Further information Detailed information on the Seniors Alert Scheme is available on Pobal’s website. For further information, you can contact the Seniors Alert Scheme section in Pobal at the address below, or by email at onlinesupport@pobal.ie. Pobal Holbrook House Holles Street Dublin 2 D02 EY84 Ireland Tel: (01) 511 7000 Fax: (01) 511 7981 Homepage: http://www.pobal.ie/ Email: enquiries@pobal.ie

From Laois Partnership The community trekking leader training workship is aimed at people who take a leadership role in a walking group. Participants will receive tips and kills to lead small groups on daylight treks of 2-3hours on coillte trails and Failte Ireland loops of easy to moderate levels of difficulty. Key Content: > Waymarked routes in Ireland > Coillte trails and Failte Ireland Loops > Planning and Preparing for a trek > Trekkin gear > Safety > Practical Treks The workshop will involve a mix of indoor theory sessions and outdoor practical elements. What Do I need to bring: Trekking shoes or hiking boots, warm hat and upper body clothing, waterproof jacket, small backpack containing: water, snacks, change of clothing Training Schedule: Training will be delivered on Saturday the 19th November from 9.00 AM – 4.00 PM. An assessment will need to be completed once training is complete (in your own time) to be fully qualified. Attendance: You must register prior to the training day. You will need to complete individual specific training afterward sin order to receive a certificate. Please ensure to let Laois Sports Partnership know if you are not going to be in attendance on the day. Certification: Your certificates will be circulated once training and assessments are complete. These will be sent via electronically but arrangements can be made if this does not suit. How can I contact the organiser with any questions? We will contact you to confirm your place on the programme. For general enquiries call 057 8671248 during office hours or email info@laoissports.ie. Privacy Policy: Laois Sports Partnership CLG (LSP) is the data controller of your personal data. Our policy sets out how we collect, process, and hold your personal data if you visit our event ticket shop or otherwise provide personal data to us. If you wish to withdraw your consent or if you wish for your data to be removed, please contact us as info@laoissports.ie or (057) 86 71248. View our Privacy Policy here: https://www.laoissports.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Laois-LSP-Privacy-Statement-26.7.18.pdf €20

I hope you’re keeping well. I’m writing to share the resulting essay from the 2022 Age & Opportunity Arts Creative Ageing Writing Bursary, which is intended to afford time and space for an artist to reflect on their practice as it relates to the arts and ageing. In the coming years, we hope to contribute to this growing body of knowledge of the arts and ageing in Ireland as we continue to offer this award. The bursary, worth €1000, was first offered in 2021, and the 2022 awardee is actor and playwright, Noelle Brown. Noelle’s resulting essay reflects on her learnings as an artist while working on her play Creaking with a group of older people. Creaking (named after a conversation with her mother about ageing) was developed with director Oonagh Murphy and dancer/choreographer Emma O’Kane. We hope this essay is a useful resource for you and your colleagues, and that it helps generate discussion and debate about the arts and ageing. In particular, Noelle is very honest about challenging her own biases with regards to older people and ageing, while encouraging other artists to engage in this work. You can read the full essay here, and we would also appreciate if you could share it amongst your networks: https://bealtaine.ie/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/commissioned-writing-list/Creaking-by-Noelle-Brown.pdf Noelle will be speaking at this year’s Bealtaine Gathering on November 15th in Project Arts Centre as part of an artist’s panel on diversity, chaired by writer Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan. Read more and book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/423515595547

The first survey of its kind into people’s experience in nursing homes has found that residents would like to be more involved in decisions that affect their lives. It was conducted by the Health Information & Quality Authority and involved over 700 residents. | https://bit.ly/3sOE5zS

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 Nowhere to go – lack of toilets prevents older people exercising in public spaces Active, News New research published by Age & Opportunity shows older people avoid using public spaces for physical activity due to a lack of access to toilet facilities. Of 200 people interviewed for the research lack of toilets was identified as the main barrier to enjoying the outdoors. The research report entitled ‘Peer Research on Public Spaces’ investigated the barriers and motivators of older people using public spaces for physical activity. It was launched by staff, volunteers and peer researchers of Age & Opportunity along with representatives from Sport Ireland, Westmeath County Council and Arthritis Ireland in Mullingar on 29th September as part of European Week of Sport. “There’s little point in making really beautiful public spaces if older people are not confident to walk around them because there are no clean toilets or comfortable seats to sit on,” said Mary Harkin, Policy, Research, and Evaluation Manager at Age & Opportunity. The research also found that only 54% of older rural dwellers have access to public space within a ten minute walk. This is in contrast to 87% of older people in urban areas. “It may seem counter intuitive that rural residents have less access to open public space. But given their limited access the report calls for specific focus to be given to creating accessible rural public spaces,” said Harkin. The research was conducted using a novel approach in which 14 older people from the Age & Opportunity network worked as citizen researchers. Following training, they each interviewed up to 20 peers. “Older people themselves asked questions of other older people. They chose who they’d interview and also did desk research to find good examples from around the world of where access to public space for older people is working well,” said Harkin. Case studies identified included a hugely positive walking and befriending project in Milton Keynes in which almost a half of participants had fallen and a third had previously been hospitalised; city parks in China where older people account for 50% of those exercising (compared to 15% in the USA); a ‘stepping out together project’ in Canada which built older people’s confidence and core fitness. Age & Opportunity also collaborated with Seamus Mullen of Straight Forward Research in the production of this report. Other key findings of the research include: The main reasons older people access public space are health motivated. Secondary reasons include enjoying scenery and wildlife, spending time in nature, getting out of the house and feeling revitalised. More people (51%) who use outdoor space meet the HSE’s physical activity guidelines for their relevant age group than those (34%) who do not make use of outdoor space. The largest proportion of respondents (over 25%) indicated that the lack of toilet provision was the main barrier preventing them from accessing open space for outdoor recreation. This is consistent with discussion with the peer researchers. It also is an issue which featured prominently in the case studies identified by the researchers. 80% of respondents indicated that they are happy to use the open space which is nearest to them for the purposes of outdoor recreation. Almost all respondents (96%) indicated that they are able to travel to and from public spaces on their own or independently, for example, walk there on their own or drive themselves. However, analysis shows that the ability to travel independently decreases as age profile increases. “During the pandemic it became very obvious that those who had access to public space were better able to get out and be active. What’s needed now is better access for older people to public space. This research highlights the importance of asking people what they think that looks like,” said Harkin. The report recommends that future projects, funding and policy decisions in relation to older people and public spaces take into account the need for on-site physical infrastructure including toilets, handrails and fresh water taps; group-based activities and social connection; safety considerations; transport connectivity; and programme support. All of these create an enabling rather than a disabling environment for everyone – not just older people. Opportunities and supports are needed to encourage older people’s groups to return to physical activity including the provision of enabling environments both indoors and outdoors and the resources and transport infrastructure to avail of them. Find the report here.

https://garda.ie/en/crime-prevention/securing-your-home/ Click link above for some great advice on home security..Browse the site for more info on general security

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