Ard Na Mara provides 12 single-storey homes for older persons, comprising four,  one bedroom, and eight, two bedroom houses.

There were 2,889 referrals in 2024 and 2,911 in 2023, compared to 1,880 in 2022, 1,583 in 2021, 1,342 in 2020, and 1,730 in 2019, figures provided to The Echo by the HSE show.

The couple said that in 31 years they have lived in their home, the boiler has never been serviced, even though they have been paying €2 a week “for years” to the council for its upkeep.

At a meeting of Cork City Council last week, the city’s Age Friendly City Strategy 2025-2029 was agreed. Reporter Amy Campbell takes a look at some of the initiatives outlined in the plan.

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North West Aindrias Moynihan raised the issue in the Dáil this week, saying that there are “black-spot areas” where the HSE cannot deliver home-help services.

Gráinne O’Brien, Resident and Family Liaison Manager at Araglen House Nursing Home in Cork, talks about ways people can help their loved ones transition into a nursing home.

The Minister of State for Older People and Housing, Kieran O’Donnell announced the opening of the scheme for applications yesterday.

"The real victims here are the vulnerable people who live alone - there are 189,000 people living alone in Ireland and many of them are housebound."

According to a Cork advocate for the elderly, many elderly people who are experiencing hearing difficulties as they wait for a hearing test — which is needed before a hearing aid is installed — are experiencing extreme loneliness due to lack of social .

A Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) report into Castletownbere Community Hospital, which is run by the HSE, found it compliant in 10 areas, substantially compliant in six, and not compliant in two.

A Know Your Rights article by Cork City Citizens Information regarding the Seniors Alert Scheme, which aims to older people in Cork to live securely and independently in their homes

The measure has caused considerable controversy since its introduction during the covid era, but which has been retained by the organisation since then.

Shauna the sheep is nine-years-old and has been visiting the elderly in Kinsale Community Hospital, which provides medical and social s for older people, since she was a lamb, where her pleasant temperament is praised by all.

The symptoms of flu include a high temperature, aches and pains, cough, nasal congestion for which the advised treatment is paracetamol, fluids and rest.

“Neighbours can contribute by knocking on the door, asking are they alright, but also telling them you’re going to the shop and asking if they want anything — elderly people really struggle to make the first move and ask for help.”

It comes following the publication of Alone's annual report for 2023 which revealed that the charity ed more than 38,000 people to age at home

Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) chief executive and Cork native Tadhg Daly told The Echo what the sector “would always be anxious for is consistency in the application of regulations — having standards consistently applied across the sector”.

The firm, which has been operating for over four decades in Cork city, has been fitting the alarms since around the beginning of covid.

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central Pádraig O’Sullivan said that at the most recent meeting that TDs from his area attended with the HSE, they were told that it took nine months to hire a home care worker on average.

In the first three months of 2024, Alone’s data showed that 17% of older people newly ing them had not been out socially in the past six months.

The figures were released by the HSE in response to a parliamentary question.

Employees from Gas Networks Ireland, working in collaboration with the company’s charity partner Age Action Ireland, went to work gardening with older people in the Glen, Knocknaheeny, Ballyphehane, and Grange.

Books can be delivered by the Mobile Library, as part of its schedule, or collected from the local library.

Cork South West TD and Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins told The Echo that a receiver was appointed early last week to the nursing home.

The inspector observed residents waiting for care delivery and residents calling for assistance and staff not being available to them, and the nurse was interrupted from medication istration numerous times.

It is estimated that the programme will result in an annual saving of €41.5m to the State through the prevention of hospitalisation and early or unnecessary ission to long-term residential care.

The report states, “Residents reported that the days were long and there were limited things to do except watch television in the day room."

Since its establishment in 2015, the Meals on Wheels network has been an invaluable resource for older people in maintaining their health and independence through the provision of healthy meals.

Mary Conway won the Over 60s competition in 2009 and is a member of the Over 60s concert group which plays regularly in nursing homes

The group will have another concert at Mount Cara on Redemption Road and Mount Desert on Lee Road in the coming weeks.

Changes mean that people are now able to draw down their pension at any age between 66 and 70.

Currently, Cork City Council provides grants for essential home modifications for older people such as walk-in showers, stair lifts, and handrails.

Mr O’Brien is encouraging everyone to do their part in trying to combat loneliness among the elderly this Christmas.

The new initiative forms part of a new pilot that will see boxes delivered to 10 nursing homes in Cork. 

Paddy O’Brien, who has been an advocate for the elderly in Cork for decades, said some elderly people “don’t have the money” for the subscription service and that, moreover, many “don’t know anything about going online”.

He stressed that HCSAs “do great work” but are limited in the tasks they can carry out under the current iteration of the scheme, which he described as “not acceptable”.

The health festival includes guest speakers on nutrition, singing for the brain, falls and frailty, and brain health.

Past winners and runners up from the contest most recently performed in Farranlea Nursing Home to the delight of residents at the facility.

Bon Secours Got Talent had something for everyone from songs in Italian to history lessons and tap dancing.

This is a free event, the aim being to connect together younger and older generations.

The project is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Cork County Council’s Capital Assistance scheme.

This year's challenge focused on the creation of community-based, age-friendly designs, with a special emphasis on disability-aware design.

Pensions are set to increase in the budget through a bonus payment

Nursing homes across Cork hosted music-themed celebrations to mark Nursing Homes Week 2023 — which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.

In recent days, NCT Ireland, which is operated by Applus+ on behalf of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), announced that NCT centres will soon no longer accept cash payments.

Sean, who has been with the gym for four years, said he initially signed up as a means to ease crippling anxiety attacks and depression

Paddy O’Brien said that many of those who decide to take early retirement miss their routines and find themselves in situations where they feel lonely.

Information obtained by The Echo shows 1,236 people are on waiting lists for HCSAs in the Cork region.

The residents of Rosenalee Nursing Home in Ballincollig were treated to an afternoon concert in the company of advocate for the elderly Paddy O’Brien and musician Ger Bruton.

Family and loved ones of residents of Beaumont Residential Care turned up at the Tánaiste Micheál Martin’s Cork office this week, calling for the Government to increase payments to Beaumont nursing homes