ALONE are seeking volunteers in a number of areas across Cavan and Monaghan. The volunteering role is focused on providing companionship visits or making friendly calls to older people throughout the week.
Loughran is the Communications Officer at ALONE. Speaking to Northern Sound, Grainne revealed that areas in Co Cavan as such Blacklion, Virginia, Ballyjamesduuff, Kingscourt, Cavan Town, Mullagh and Bailieborough are all in need of volunteering support. Elsewhere, in Co Monaghan, key areas in need of further supports include Ballybay, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Monaghan Town.
With more than 6,500 ALONE volunteers currently across the country, Grainne says the organisation is working to get to 9,000 due to the increasing number of older people who are experiencing isolation and loneliness: "This is really important because we're just seeing higher and higher numbers of people who are coming to ALONE experiencing isolation and loneliness," Grainne told Northern Sound, "So, our volunteers play a really important role supporting older people, just having a chat, having the craic. giving the, a social outlet in their day or week. And, I've never spoken to a volunteer who hasn't got as much out of volunteering as the older person has from having a volunteer so. it's really something that benefits both the older person and the volunteer themselves."
