Do you ever think of the impact long dark Winter days can have on the older generation in your family?

Did you know that loneliness and isolation is worse for your health than smoking fifteen cigarettes a day and twice as deadly as obesity?

 “Loneliness is the sudden realisation that you are not needed anymore, by anybody, for anything. It’s worse than pain or illness, it feels like you’re just waiting to die” Margaret, Making Connections beneficiary (2017)  

Just recently, one of our volunteers did something extraordinary for the lady she visited. Maura, arrived at Noirin’s house for her weekly visit, but noticed two days’ worth of milk on her doorstep and her walker inside the door. After a quick call to Noirin’s daughter, they were able to get in and find her on the bed where she’d had a stroke getting dressed the previous morning. She was all but dressed apart from her necklace laying beside her. Just a few short days later, Noirin passed away, but her family have expressed their eternal gratitude Maura found their Mum that day. ‘Despite the grief we feel every day with Mum’s passing, it was such a comfort that she did not die alone, we had been trying to convince Mum  to accept the volunteer support since Christmas, and it must have been diving providence that Maura braved the bad weather that day to find her, thank you Making Connections’.  

We invite you to help our charity this Christmas to support those like Noirin, who really treasure the company at this time of the year. Every donation to Making Connections this Christmas is a gift to vulnerable older people in your community. Thank you  

Email: [email protected] Website: www.makingconnections.ie Facebook: http://facebook.com/makingconnections.ie Twitter: http://twitter.com/connections_ie