Members of the public are being asked to reach out and give a helping hand to older people who may be struggling this festive season.

ALONE, the organisation that supports older people to age at home, has received over 37,000 calls to its national support line since the COVID-19 pandemic began last March.

It has just launched its Christmas Campaign, ‘Give a Helping Hand', which aims to encourage the public to help older people who may be struggling, and to consider donating to the charity to ensure that it can continue to provide a range of services in areas such as health and housing.

According to ALONE chief executive, Sean Moynihan, this year, the charity has seen "huge growth" in the number of additional older people making contact, who may not have previously required its services.

"Last year, ALONE was supporting just over 5,000 older people. That figure has since grown exponentially to 15,000, a remarkable 300% increase in just 12 months.

"We are delighted to be able to help so many older people when they need it most, which would not be possible without the support we receive from the public. We are asking that this support continues, so that we can sustain delivery of important services nationwide," Mr Moynihan said.

He noted that many older people can feel embarrassed to reach out, and worry that by asking for help and support, they are bothering people.

"ALONE wants them to know that they deserve the support they require and should not be afraid to ask for help if needed," Mr Moynihan insisted.

The charity said that there are a number of ways the public can help:

-Check in with older neighbours, friends and relatives to ensure they are warm and have enough supplies to keep the house at a comfortable temperature
-Ensure on very cold days that older people in your life have enough supplies in the home to deter them from going out in dangerous conditions
-As the evenings are dark so early, give an older person a check-in call to make sure they are ok
-Consider checking in on the older person near Christmas Day to ensure they have everything they need and if they do not, link them in with ALONE.

ALONE is for all older people, including those who are lonely, isolated, frail, ill, homeless, living in poverty or are facing other difficulties. You do not need to have used ALONE services before to make contact now.

The charity can be reached on its national support line, 0818 222 024. For more information on the charity, including how to donate, click here.