Members of the public are being asked to respect the wishes of older people this Christmas, who may be nervous about socialising as a result of COVID-19.

According to ALONE, the organisation that supports older people to age at home, some older people may be apprehensive about seeing family and friends over the coming weeks and it is essential that their choices be respected.

ALONE runs a national support line and also makes calls to check in on people during the winter months. It noted that on these calls, many older people have expressed concern about social activities this Christmas. Many do not want to put themselves at risk and are worried about meeting up with people in the coming weeks.

Some have said they feel obliged to meet up with people for fear of upsetting family members, while others are choosing to spend the period alone to reduce their risk of getting COVID-19.

"We understand that this has been a difficult year for older people across the country who have had to take extra precautions to protect themselves from the virus.

"We are asking members of the public to consider the older people in their lives by respecting any concerns they may have surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and not pressuring them to attend social gatherings where they may feel anxious or uncomfortable," commented ALONE chief executive, Sean Moynihan

He said that while it is natural to want to see family and friends at Christmas, "things are different" now.

"This year, we will all need to make some changes to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the older people in our lives," he insisted.

Mr Moynihan said that in order to minimise the chances of getting COVID-19 this Christmas, older people are advised to "socialise safely within a small group and to keep in contact with family and friends via phone where possible".

ALONE recently launched its Christmas campaign, Give a Helping Hand, which encourages members of the public to reach out to older people in their lives this Christmas.

There are a number of ways to safely support older people this winter, for example, by checking in with older neighbours, friends and relatives to ensure they are warm and have enough fuel to keep their home at a comfortable temperature, and ensuring on very cold days that they have enough supplies to deter them from going out in dangerous conditions.

Anyone with concerns about themselves or others, can contact the ALONE national support line, which is available seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm. Call 0818 222 024. You do not need to have used ALONE's services before to make contact. Further information can also be found at www.alone.ie.