COVID 19 Support Services for Older & Vulnerable People
COVID-19 community supports are now in place to ensure vulnerable members of the community are reached and helped at this time.
These comprise the local authority, Health Service Executive, County Champions, An Post, Community Welfare Service, An Garda Síochána, other State organisations, charities and other stakeholders.
These Dedicated helplines are focused specifically on ensuring that the cocooning elderly, vulnerable members of the community or those living alone can access deliveries of groceries, medicine and fuels.
Please try to ensure any vulnerable or elderly people in your parish to may need help are aware of these services.
Dublin City Council
Helpline 01-2228555
Email – covidsupport@dublincity.ie
Fingal County Council
Helpline 01-8905000 with the lines open from 9am to 5pm seven days a week.
E mail – covidsupport@fingal.ie.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
Helpline 01 271 3199. Opens 9am every day.
E mail covidsupport@dlrcoco.ie
South Dublin County Council
Helpline 01-4149043 with the lines initially open from 9am to 5pm seven days a week.
Out of hours email contact through covidsupport@sdublincoco.ie
Wicklow County Council
Helpline FREE contact number 1800868399 with the lines open from 8am to 8pm seven days a week.
E-mail covidsupport@wicklowcoco.ie.
Other Support Services
Irish Hospice Foundation
The Irish Hospice Foundation is keeping the Irish public, informed and supported in matters relating to end-of-life and bereavement care in these exceptional times.
The need to provide reliable and up-to-date information for you, the public, and healthcare professionals is vital. With many years of experience, they are responding with depth of expertise, to respond to your needs at this critical time.
As Ireland’s only national charity dedicated to death, dying and bereavement, they have developed our ‘Care & Inform’ Info Hub to respond to the COVID-19 emergency in an informative and compassionate way. All of this information is in line with current HSE and Government guidance.
The Care & Inform Hub includes a range of information resources and videos focusing on the themes of Grief, Funerals in Exceptional Times, Planning Ahead and a suite of resources for Healthcare Professionals to support and guide all who need it during this time. It is updated continually.
Irish Hospice Foundation Care & Inform Hub
ALONE national support line for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
Professional staff are available to answer queries and give advice and reassurance where necessary.
The support line is open Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm, by calling 0818 222 024.
SeniorLine is a national, confidential listening service for older people, run by trained older volunteers.
If you are feeling worried, stressed or isolated at this very unnerving time, please feel free to ring this FREEPHONE service anytime between 10am and 10pm on any day of the week on 1800 80 45 91.
Age Action and the Irish Red Cross have raised funds to provide additional assistance to older and vulnerable people around Ireland who are experiencing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic by making once-off grants, up to a maximum of €500, per person/household affected.
Email: hardship2020@redcross.ie
Phone: Irish Red Cross at 01 6424600 or
Tel: (01) 475 6989 Lo Call: 1890 369369
Sage Advocacy support and advocacy service for vulnerable adults, older people and healthcare patients.
E-mail 1850@sageadvocacy.ie
Phone 1850 71 94 00 365 days a year 08:00 – 22:00
Women’s Aid
The Women’s Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline offers confidential information, support and understanding to women who are being abused by current or former boyfriends, partners or husbands.
Tel: 1800 341 900 Tel: +353 1 678 8858
Email: info@womensaid.ie
Men’s Aid
Men’s Aid Ireland formerly known as Amen, is the only dedicated national service supporting men and their families experiencing Domestic Violence in Ireland.
Tel: 01-5543811
Tel: 01-5394277
E-mail: hello@mensaid.ie
ISPCC Dublin
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) is Ireland’s national child protection charity.
Call: 01 676 7960
Email: ispcc@ispcc.ie
The Samaritans
Available round the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you need a response immediately, it’s best to call on the phone. This number is FREE to call.
Tel: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.ie
Pieta House
Pieta provides free therapy to those engaging in self-harm, with suicidal ideation, or bereaved by suicide. Freephone and no referral needed. Tel: 1800 247 247
Jigsaw
Offering younger people going through a hard time, or for those worried about a young person in your life. www.jigsaw.ie
https://www.jigsaw.ie/news-and-events/post/covid-19-what-were-doing
SUPPORTS FOR WORK WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Please remember the staff of our Diocesan Child Safeguarding and Protection Office are still working and available to advise and help. E-mail Loraine Byrne Loraine.byrne@dublindiocese.ie or Telephone 01 8360314 /8373732
Advice and information for children and young people struggling to understand what is happening and how to cope is available from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office at www.oco.ie.
The parenting unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has compiled a comprehensive directory of online resources, which can be found here.
In addition, the Children and Young People Services Committees have great tips and links for children’s wellbeing while we work together to stay safe and well. Some examples of how they are communicating Covid19 information in their communities can be found here.
The Children’s Rights Alliance website will also be updated with links and information with regard to the resources that our members have created and are available to all.
Barnardos’ has launched a dedicated telephone and email support service to provide advice to parents on a wide range of issues that may have come up during this time. This service will be staffed by Barnardos project workers who are trained professionals. You can make contact with this service by phoning 1800 910 123 between 10.00am and 2.00pm Monday to Friday or by emailing parentsupport@barnardos.ie.
