About Carelocal

Background

CARELOCAL was founded in 1974 by Eileen and Martin Coen, in response to the clear and unmet needs of older people living alone in Dublin City. Many of these older people were lonely, many were frail and in ill-health, many did not have enough money to live on or to buy basic necessities such as fuel or food.

During the course of its 30 years existence, CARELOCAL has assisted hundreds of older people through befriending, through carrying out practical tasks on behalf of the older persons (e.g. arranging medical appointments, doing shopping and other chores), through delivering food hampers and fuel, and through providing financial assistance to older people who could not afford to pay for essential items.

For most of its existence, CARELOCAL has depended entirely on volunteers to carry out its work. Organisational costs were met through fundraising events such as an annual sponsored walk, table quizzes and carol singing at Christmas.

More recently, grants from the Dormant Accounts Fund, and other smaller grants and donations, have facilitated the recruitment of staff to manage the growing volunteer corps. One full-time and three part-time staff are now based at the shared services facility of the Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7.

In response to the social, economic and demographic changes experienced in Ireland over the last number of years, CARELOCAL now concentrates its interventions with older people on alleviating isolation and loneliness. While financial supports, housing conditions and health services for older people have improved over the years, the informal contact with neighbours, family and friends which would have been commonplace throughout the city has all but disappeared.

This means that older people are more likely to become isolated in their homes, lacking in friendship and companionship. This lack of social contact puts older people more at risk of physical and mental deterioration.