I live alone — unless you count the cats — and would have it no other way. Age 72. I prefer living alone.

Its quite sad to think so many people end up living out their last years alone.

burglars will be delighted with this valuable research information

Hi Christine,
Have to say I find the symbology used to depict the elderly very off putting!
The painted nails are totally incongruous with the hands and for me as an older woman (68) the two just don’t go together. I have seen this imagery before and thought it wasn’t representative!

Most people apart from Guy, hate living alone, this happens when the Family have mostly moved away to work,it is very common now, and it’s not just the elderly, a lot of younger people are having the same problem who live alone, and this causes isolation, depression, and of course there lonely, I think we need to somehow make an effort to get these groups together in some way, because it’s one of those few situations that can be helped..

Sign this petition from Older and Bolder: http://www.olderandbolder.ie/content/make-home-work
Home is a special place for most of us. We want to continue to live in our own homes as we grow older. For the last twenty-five years, Ireland’s consecutive governments have said that we should be able to age well in our own homes. However, policy implementation has been weak and our system of community care remains patchy and inefficient.

Older & Bolder’s campaign MAKE HOME WORK highlights the obstacles faced by people – older people, people with chronic illnesses, people with disabilities – who want to live well at home and who need support to do so. Our campaign highlights solutions and shows how we can MAKE HOME WORK by building on older people’s insights and improving our system of community care.

Minister Reilly is forcing many elderly people to stay at home.

I live alone and I am just 76, I often wonder does anyone represent us, I have a few health problems,heart,back, shoulder and left knee which gives me most problems, I asked local HSE nurse if any help was available and told me meals on wheels maybe, but no funding for anything else. I don’t see anyone from one end of week to other and did not mind all that as long as had money to get by. Now that cuts to household benefits are taking place and no one on radio or tv to fight our corner, the cuts in OUR allowances just takes place. This is not fair for elderly are at the end of road, so not much use looking for “The Light at end of Tunnel” .

I actually like the pic. Just because a lady is old does not mean she can’t be glamorous.
I also feel that living alone does not automatically equate to loneliness. As Guy said, he wouldn’t have it any other way. I think it’s to be celebrated if older people can continue to live independently in their own homes. The key thing is to remember to visit and to offer to help out with chores etc.

In Leitrim? So that’s about 5 people then..

no doubt these figures are very much massaged so that these people claim the maximum number of benifits.
In my experience the reality is different many with adult children living with them , something similar happens with the lone parents … boyfriend sharing the house but not mentioned on the lease or to the social