Supporting vulnerable adults, older people and healthcare patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Practical Supports

• The Community Call

  #InThisTogether National Initiatives - comprehensive list of all of the County Council supports

  The Community Call is a major initiative that links local and national Government with the community and voluntary sectors, was announced today by Government.  It aims to ensure that all vulnerable members of our communities affected by current restrictions are appropriately supported.

  Facilitated by the Local Authority Community Response Forum in every local authority area, by calling these numbers you can avail of assistance regarding the collection and delivery of food, transport to community test centres, social isolation and more.

  The Forum will ensure the provision of the following services:

  • Collection and delivery of food, essential household items, fuel, medication in line with guidance

  • Transport to community testing centres, clinical Assessment Hubs, GP and hospital appointments

  • Social isolation, supports, engagement

  • Meals and their delivery

  • Other medical/health needs

  A dedicated phone line is now operational in every county and the national number 0818 222 024 is also now in operation.  The following is the list of each local authority’s helpline phone numbers.

  Local Authority	Community Response Number	Email Address
  Carlow County Council	1800 814 300	covidsupport@carlowcoco.ie
  Cavan County Council	1800 300 404	covidsupport@cavancoco.ie
  Clare County Council	1890 252 943	covidsupport@clarecoco.ie
  Cork City Council	1800 222 226	covidsupport@corkcity.ie
  Cork County Council	1800 805 819	covidsupport@corkcoco.ie
  Donegal County Council	1800 928 982	covidsupport@donegalcoco.ie
  Dublin City Council	01 222 8555	covidsupport@dublincity.ie
  Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council	01 271 3199	covidsupport@dlrcoco.ie
  Fingal County Council	01 890 5000	covidsupport@fingal.ie
  Galway City Council	1800 400 150	covidsupport@galwaycity.ie
  Galway County Council	1800 928 894 and 091 509 390	covidsupport@galwaycoco.ie
  Kerry County Council	1800 807 009	covidsupport@kerrycoco.ie
  Kildare County Council	1800 300 174	covidsupport@kildarecoco.ie
  Kilkenny County Council	1800 500 000	covidcommunity@kilkennycoco.ie
  Laois County Council	1800 832 010	covidsupport@laoiscoco.ie
  Leitrim County Council	071 965 0473	covidsupport@leitrimcoco.ie
  Limerick City and County Council	1800 852 389	covidsupport@limerick.ie
  Longford County Council	1800 300 122	covidsupport@longfordcoco.ie
  Louth County Council	1800 805 817	covidsupport@louthcoco.ie
  Mayo County Council	094 906 4660	covidsupport@mayococo.ie
  Meath County Council	1800 808 809	covidsupport@meathcoco.ie
  Monaghan County Council	1800 804 158	covidsupport@monaghancoco.ie
  Offaly County Council	1800 818 181	covidsupport@offalycoco.ie
  Roscommon County Council	1800 200 727	covidsupport@roscommoncoco.ie
  Sligo County Council	1800 292 765	covidsupport@sligococo.ie
  South Dublin County Council	1800 240519	covidsupport@sdublincoco.ie
  Tipperary County Council	076 106 5000	covid19@tipperarycoco.ie
  Waterford City and County Council	1800 250 185	covidsupport@waterfordcouncil.ie
  Westmeath County Council	1800 805 816	covidsupport@westmeathcoco.ie
  Wexford County Council	053 919 6000	covidsupport@wexfordcoco.ie
  Wicklow County Council	1800 868 399	covidsupport@wicklowcoco.ie

• NGO Helplines & Support

  Age Action - The information service is open from 9:30am-1:00pm and 2.00pm - 5.00pm Monday to Friday on (01) 475 6989 and helpline@ageaction.ie

  • Call Safe & Information Support - has a team proactively making 11,000 ‘check-in’ calls to Age Action’s older people.  In addition, Age Action has extended the Information Service online support through info@ageaction.ie to 8am-8pm 7 days a week.

  • Practical support in the community - volunteers and partner groups to provide practical support to older people who need assistance with their shopping, collecting prescriptions and any other practical needs that arise. Age Action is also linking older people with volunteers who will do regular checkin calls if they wish to have ongoing contact and support.

  • Home Safe - Age Action is providing additional supports to older people, enabling them to transition quickly out of hospital into their own homes, by ensuring that their home is safe for them while also supporting our hospitals to respond to the Covid-19 health crisis. Age Action is also providing an emergency response for urgent repairs and other supports for older people in the community in order to ensure people can remain safely in their own homes.

  • Hardship Fund - Age Action in partnership the Irish Red Cross is providing people with financial support to meet their immediate needs through the COVID-19 Hardship Fund. Funds have been raised through corporate donors and public contributions which mean that small grants can be made to older people who are struggling with the financial burden of self-isolating or cocooning.

  • Care & Repair - service to help to keep people living in their own homes in increased safety and comfort.

  Alone - Alone provide a COVID-19 support line for older people Call 0818 222 024 (from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday).

  Age and Opportunity - Age & Opportunity Movement Minutes’. There will be a seated activity session, a standing activity session and the third will be a mix of seated and standing. Available on their Facebook page each week for ‘Age & Opportunity Movement Minutes’ every: Monday @ 11am: Seated Physical Activity Session for Older Adults, Wednesday @ 11am: Standing Physical Activity Session for Older Adults, Friday @ 11am: Seated and Standing Physical Activity Session for Older Adults. 

  Direct Provision Support Live - developed as a response to the shutdown of many social services in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, creating serious difficulties for both parents and children living in direct provision.

  Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) - In response to the Covid-19 crisis, they have expanded our services during this period to include providing food parcels to the elderly, vulnerable individuals and families who are suffering economic hardship and those in isolation. They have also provided food to emergency accommodation units including hostels, hotels, b&b’s and family hubs to support people through the Covid-19 isolation period. Call 01 888 1804, or email info@ichh.ie.

  Irish Hospice Foundation - they have developed an online hub on end-of-life and bereavement care during COVID-19.

  Grieving in Exceptional Times

  A Guide for the Bereaved during the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Planning a Funeral in Exceptional Times when your relative has died of COVID-19

  Purple House Cancer Support Centre - due to COVID-19, Purple House Cancer Support Centre established a COVID-19 Cancer Support Team to move all physical services out of the Cancer Support Centre and instead start offering them in a non-contact online environment. Call 01 286 6966 or email info@purplehouse.ie.

  Seniorline - Confidential listening service for older people provided by trained older volunteers Call 1800 804 591 (lines are open every day from 10am to 10pm).

  The Alzheimer Society of Ireland - providing a free call-back service which offers people with dementia and family carers from anywhere in Ireland the opportunity to book a 1:1 session with a Dementia Nurse or a Dementia Adviser during the COVID-19 public health emergency. People with dementia and their family carers who want to avail of this new service can contact the National Helpline to make an appointment which is open six days a week Monday to Friday 10am–5pm and Saturday 10am–4pm on 1800 341 341.  They also have an Online Support Group for Family Carers of People with Dementia.

• Public Health Guidance for older and/or medically vulnerable people

  HSE Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information - HSE Advice Line - Call from 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday Callsave 1850 24 1850.

  Visits to Residential Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Information from the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on visiting people who live in residential care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic from 1st October 2020.  

  Visitors at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Information from the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on visitors at home from June 2020.

  Translated Covid-19 Resources - HSE

  Guidance on  cocooning to protect people over 70 years and those extremely medically vulnerable from COVID-19: HSE/HPSC, 24th April 2020.

  Easy read Guidance on Cocooning - HSE, 22nd May 2020.

  Short video explaining 'cocooning'

  Face Coverings Campaign Pack  - HSE, 18th June 2020.

  Minding Your Long-term Health Condition During Coronavirus (COVID-19) - HSE, 30th April 2020.

  HSE Approved Guidance for Disability Services - additional resources for supporting people with an intellectual disability.

  COVID-19 related resources for people with dementia, families and carers -  HSE & Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

  COVID-19 related resources for people with an intellectual disability - Inclusion Ireland.

  Irish Sign Language Videos about COVID-19

  Easy to Read Dictionary of Coronavirus Terms

• Physical Exercise

  Age and Opportunity have created some great online Movement Minutes sessions for older adults.

  Cois Ceim’s BROADREACH initiative is now to bringing dance opportunities for people aged 50+ online with their weekly Wednesday class now going digital.  For further information admin@cosiceim.com.

  Siel Bleu Free Online Exercise Classes - Daily online classes 11am and 2pm for people of all abilities can be accessed via Youtube and Facebook. 

  Walking in Local Parks - Dublin’s four local authorities now have a designated time for cocooners who wish to exercise in their local parks.  From Wednesday, May 6, a two-hour period between 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm will be reserved in all parks across Dublin city and county for people who are cocooning.  This includes over-70s and medically vulnerable people.

   

• Creative & Recreational Activities

  Bealtaine Festival at Home 2020 - Bealtaine is Ireland’s national festival which uniquely celebrates the arts and creativity as we age. The festival is run by Age & Opportunity, the national organisation that promotes active and engaged living as we get older.  

  Blossom Ireland - accessible step-by-step tutorials on using WhatsApp & zoom

  Dawn Chorus is an initiative which strives to bring Ireland together in Harmony while staying apart. Both newly formed singing groups of family & friends and established choirs are getting involved. This week, they are turning the focus to songs which generations can learn and sing together. All songs have a video to sing along with, a sheet of lyrics you can print off, and notes will be added shortly for the more musically adept.

  Dublin Zoo - Watch the animals live, wherever you are.  Catch a glimpse of the giraffes, zebras and rhinos on the African Savanna, get a birds-eye view of the penguins or watch the wondrous herd of Asian elephants bathe and chomp on their lunch with our live animal cams.

  County Council Library Services are delivering books to its most vulnerable members who are cocooning at this time, bringing boxes of books of members in an effort to help reduce the effects of social isolation. To access the service call your local library or it’s headquarters.

  Get Ireland Making - Creative Ireland and Healthy Ireland have supported a partnership with the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.  There will be step-by-step interactive workshops and short video tutorials for making musical instruments from recycled materials, jewellery making, drawing or painting, learning a new song, doing an online dance class, knitting/sewing, cooking or baking.

  The Abbey Theatre has launched their ‘Dear Ireland’ series, a national conversation of 50 monologues streamed live on The Abbey’s YouTube channel over 4 days.  The monologues will be available online for 6 months.

  The National Gallery of Ireland have launched virtual tours of their collections on their website, you can peruse the beautiful gallery at your own pace and wonder at the various rooms and works on display.

Healthcare & Medical Needs

• Mental Health & Wellbeing

  Age & Opportunity - Building Resilience: A Five-part series

  Aware - Support Line, information and support to anyone over 18 about issues relating to their own mood or the mood of a friend or family member, or who experiences depression or bipolar. Freephone Support Line 1800 80 48 48 (from 10am to 10pm every day). Support and self-care groups nationwide, are cancelled until further notice Life Skills Online Programme continuing as normal Email supportmail@aware.ie for services information and support.

  Family Carers Ireland - have developed a free, short-term online and phone counselling service for family carers, and will connect carers with a qualified counsellor from a panel of approved professionals.  The service can be accessed through their website or through the National Freephone Careline on 1800 24 07 24.

  GROW - Mental Health Recovery Information line 1890 474 474 or email info@grow.ie for more information, or while peer support groups are postponed.

  The Irish Advocacy Network (IAN) - Peer advocacy service for people with mental health challenges.  

  LGBT Ireland - Online support and through the helpline for LGBT+ people across Ireland. LGBT Helpline 1890 929 539 (every day), Gender Identity Family Support Line 01 907 3707. Email info@lgbt.ie for support or information while face to face services are closed. An instant messaging service is available 7 days a week, from 6:30pm to 10pm, Mon – Thur from 4pm to 10pm Fridays, and from 4pm to 6pm on Sat & Sun.

  Mental Health Ireland - resources and online courses around supporting your mental health and recovery education.

  #InThisTogether Wellbeing campaign - Getting through COVID-19 together, Gov.ie

  National Women's Council - resource hub on their website for women during COVID-19 including (but not limited to) information on supports for women experiencing domestic violence, support for women’s mental, physical, reproductive and sexual health. 

  Pieta House - Pieta House provides telephone and text-based support counselling for people who are suicidal or engaging in self-harm Freephone 1800 247 247 (any time, day or night) Text HELP to 51444 (standard message rates apply) Telephone appointments will be provided to replace face to face appointments - contact your local Pieta House for details.

  Shine - Shine are currently providing remote support and an outreach service to people experiencing mental health problems and their families and supporters by phone and email, phil@shine.ie.

  Samaritans - Emotional support to anyone in distress or struggling to cope Freephone 116 123 (any time, day or night) Email jo@samaritans.ie.

  Suicide or Survive (SOS) A series of free online wellness workshops and programmes are available from SOS Visit  for more information.

  HSE 24/7 text service - ‘50808’ is a first of its kind for Ireland, a free 24/7 text service, providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for people going through mental health or emotional crisis. 

  The YourMentalHealth.ie - website provides information and signposting on all mental health supports and services that are available nationally & locally provided by the HSE and its funded partners. You can also call the freephone YourMentalHealth Information Line to find supports and services 1800 111 888 (any time, day or night).

  The Whispered Calm for Coronavirus Anxiety - Niall Kelly, teacher of the Alexander technique has helped many people deal with performance anxiety and breathing issues over the years. He has devised the Whispered Calm to help people deal with anxiety arising from the coronavirus.

• GP Services

  Find a GP Directory - General practitioners (GPs) are family doctors. They treat all common medical conditions. A GP is usually the first doctor you will see about non-emergency illnesses and health issues. They refer people to hospitals and medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.

  GP Out of Hours Service - If you need to see a GP outside their clinic hours, you can contact your local GP out of hours service. This service does not provide routine clinic appointments. You must make an appointment. There is no drop-in facility. If your medical issue is not urgent, you should make an appointment to see your usual GP during normal clinic hours.

  Medical & GP Visit Cards - Applications for GP visit cards and medical cards are made through the same system. You will first be assessed for a medical card. If you don't qualify, you will then be assessed for a GP visit card.

  COVID-19 Telephone assessment and testing pathway for patients who phone general practice and healthcare settings other than receiving hospitals - HSE/HPSC

• Pharmacy Services

  Find a Pharmacy near you (interactive map) - There are over 1,500 community pharmacies in Ireland, and most people visit their pharmacy several times a year, if not more. A pharmacy is often the first place you visit when you feel unwell and provides a wide range of advice and treatment services.  Your pharmacist is a healthcare professional who can assist you with your health concerns quickly. They can offer you information about treatments, explanations on medication interactions and much more. They will also guide you to other health professionals or community services, if you need them.

  Home delivery of medicines by public servants and volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic: HSE/PSI, 30th March 2020

  Temporary laws have been put in place to allow GPs to send prescriptions to pharmacies by email. This means that you may not need to go to your GP surgery if you need a prescription for medication. If you have a prescription that needs to be renewed, your local pharmacy can do this for you in most cases.  If you cannot go to the pharmacy, you can contact the local community support number listed above. The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland has issued the guidelines above on the delivery of medicines through voluntary and state bodies.

• Public Health Nurse

  Public Health Nurses  - work from local Health Centres.  The public health nurse provides a range services free of charge to people in your community. They include child health visits and school visits, visits and care for older people, care on discharge from hospital.  

  The Public Health Nurse provides home and clinic nursing care to persons over 65 years who have a medical card. Services include post hospital care, Dressings, Injections, referral to respite and day care and assessment for Nursing Home Subvention, home support, nursing aids and appliances.  

• Home Support Services

  HSE Home Support Service - (formerly called the Home Help Service or Home Care Package Scheme) aims to support older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible and to support informal carers.  The Home Support Service provides you with support for everyday tasks including getting in and out of bed, dressing and undressing, personal care such as showering and shaving.  The support allocation depends on the individual needs. These supports will be provided by the HSE or by an external provider, approved by the HSE.

  HSE Home Support Service for Older People: Information Booklet & Application Form

  Guidance on cocooning to protect people over 70 years and those extremely medically vulnerable from COVID-19

  Guidance for Health and Social Care Workers who visit homes

  Affordable Live-In Homecare - The carers are all live-in which means they are present in an older person's home 5 to 7 nights per week. Normally the carer works 35 hours over 5 days but she can work up to 6 days and 48 hours per week, if required.  The service starts from €460 per week for 35 hours care and they source carers right up to fully qualified nurses. 

  Family Carers Ireland - emerging from the coming together of two long standing charities of over 25 years in 2016 – The Carers Association and Caring for Carers.  The merger brings the best of both charities together whilst broadening the range of services and supports to family carers and giving one national voice to represent fairness for carers. Emergency Care Plan Booklet

  Care Alliance Ireland - Creating a Backup Plan: Covid-19 and Family Carers

• Primary Care & Related HSE Services

  List of Health Services in Ireland - The HSE provides health and social services to everyone living in Ireland. Our services are delivered to young and old, in hospitals, health facilities and in communities across the country.

  Find your local Community Health Centre - Health Atlas helps you to find essential health services on a map, General Practitioners, GPs, Family Doctors, Pharmacists, Dentists, Hospitals. It also provides contact phone numbers. Type your address in the box below. The Atlas will search automatically - choose an address from the search results. A map of your street will appear.

  Community Intervention Team Services - A Community Intervention Team (CIT) is a specialist, health professional team which provides a rapid and integrated response to a patient with an acute episode of illness who requires enhanced services/acute intervention for a defined short period of time. This may be provided at home, in a residential setting or in the community as deemed appropriate, thereby avoiding acute hospital attendance or admission, or facilitating early discharge.  The CIT, through its fast-tracked provision of services enhances the overall primary care system, providing access to nursing and home care support, usually from 8am to 9pm, seven days per week.  Referrals are accepted from hospitals, GP’s and other community sources. 

  HSE Schemes & Allowances - Apply for benefits and schemes that can help with healthcare costs,  These include Medical Cards, European Health Insurance Card, GP Visit Card, Fair Deal Scheme, Drug Payment Scheme, Cross Border Directive, Treatment Abroad Scheme, Long-Term Illness Scheme, Blind Welfare Allowance, National Lottery Grants.

  Dental Services - Most dentists work privately, and see their own patients, many of whom have medical cards.  Adults (over 16 years of age) who have a valid medical card can access a range of dental services and treatments under the Dental Treatment Service Scheme.  All medical card holders are entitled to specific dental treatments e.g., a dental examination, two fillings in each calendar year, extractions as necessary.  Some treatments such as the provision of dentures require the approval of the HSE before the dentist can proceed and in this case, the dentist applies directly to the HSE.

  Hospital service disruptions and visiting restrictions (COVID-19)

   

• Ambulance Services

  National Ambulance Service Ireland - In the public health service, the National Ambulance Service provides ambulance services for transporting seriously ill people to hospitals or between hospitals. The Dublin Fire Brigade provides an emergency ambulance service for the greater Dublin area.  Emergency ambulance services can be contacted by telephoning 999 or 112. (The 112 number applies throughout the EU). All calls are free.

• Residential Care Facilities

  HSE Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

  Guidance for COVID-19 in Nurse Led Residential Care Services for people with Disabilities - HSE

  Guidance on the use of PPE in Disability Services - HSE

  Interim Public Health and Infection Prevention Control Guidelines on the Prevention and Management of COVID-19 Cases and Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities and Similar Units: HSE/SPSC, 4th April 2020

  HIQA Infection Prevention & Control Hub

  Regulatory assessment framework of the preparedness of designated centres for older people for a COVID19 outbreak - HIQA

  Health Protection Surveillance Centre

   

• Medical Treatment during COVID-19

  Ethical framework for decision-making in a pandemic: DOH, 22nd March 2020

  Ethical considerations relating to critical care in the context of COVID-19: DOH, 7th April 2020

  Guidance Regarding Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and DNAR Decision-Making during the COVID-19 Pandemic: HSE, 11th May 2020

  HSCP Recovery after Covid-19 - The Mater Hospital have shared their MMUH HSCP Covid-19 Rehabilitation Manual. A valuable resource for patients, families and carers affected by Covid-19, created to provide a framework that can be used with team of health care professionals and loved ones to support recovery after COVID-19.

• Respite Services

  Citizen's Information Centre - Respite care may involve providing alternative family or institutional care for a person with a disability in order to enable the carer to take a short break, a holiday or a rest. It can cover very short-term respite, for example, a carer for an evening, or a much longer arrangement for a holiday. Schemes of respite care are sometimes called 'Breakaway' or 'Friendship' schemes.  Respite care or temporary care may be based in the community or in an institution. In practice, respite care is provided to a varying degree at a number of locations around the country – in some cases by your Health Service Executive (HSE) Area and in others by local or national voluntary organisations.

  Care is provided at a number of locations around the country for people with different disabilities. The person being cared for may be admitted to a HSE nursing home for a period of two weeks. Longer stays may be possible in some circumstances.

  The Alzheimer Society of Ireland - operate two respite centres, The Orchard Respite Centre in Blackrock, Co Dublin, and The Waterman's Lodge in Killaloe/Ballina on the Tipperary, Clare and Limerick border.  Due to the Covid-19 public health emergency, respite services provided in the Orchard Respite Centre in Blackrock, Co Dublin will be temporarily suspended from Friday, 27th March 2020. The service will be resumed once we are clear of the current Covid-19 emergency.

• Bereavement & Palliative Care

  Citizens Information Centres - Know your rights - COVID-19 and funerals

  Irish Hospice Foundation - Bereavement Support Line, a national freephone service 1800 80 70 77 which will be available from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.  Also, an online hub on end-of-life and bereavement care during COVID-19.

  Statement on dying alone in hospitals and care settings, 9th April 2020

  Palliative Care: what is it & who is it for?

  Advance Care Planning for Health and Social Care Professionals

  Providing compassionate end-of-life care during the COVID-19 crisis: Supporting the Patient

  Providing compassionate end-of-life care during the COVID-19 crisis: Supporting the Family 

  Self-care and supporting your colleagues; tips for healthcare workers

  Planning a Funeral in Exceptional Times when your relative has died of COVID-19

  Grieving in Exceptional Times

  A Guide for the Bereaved during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Safeguarding & An Garda Síochána

• An Garda Síochána

  An Garda Síochána - In an emergency always dial 999/112 - You should use this service if a crime or incident is happening now or if anyone is in immediate danger.

  Non-emergency or general enquiries:

  • For non-emergency or general enquiries, you can contact your local Garda Station by Telephone and Email.

  • Contact details for all Garda stations and key offices are available in the Garda Stations Directory

  Local Garda Diversity Officers - The Garda National Diversity & Integration Unit forms part of the Garda Community Relations Bureau. Originally established in 2000 as the Garda Racial and Intercultural Office, it is staffed by one Sergeant, two Gardaí and one Clerical Officer.  This list is useful when looking for support for an older person locally.

• National Safeguarding Office

  The National Safeguarding Office - established in December 2015 in accordance with the HSE’s Social Care Division Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse National Policy & Procedures, the core function of the office is to oversee the implementation, monitoring, review and ongoing evaluation of the Safeguarding Policy as well as coordinating the development and roll-out of safeguarding training.

  During the COVID-19 crisis, contact by phone only in urgent matters/emergencies. Carol McKeoghRyan Ryan will monitor calls and the office email safeguarding.socialcare@hse.ie,  Tel: 061 46 1165 (9.00 am – 5.00 pm Monday to Friday). HSE Information Line on 1850 24 1850 (8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Saturday).

  Safeguarding and Protection Teams - HSE Safeguarding and Protection Teams are in place all over the country, to take reports of Elder Abuse and provide help.

  Confidential Recipient - Reporting a concern about a vulnerable adult in a HSE funded care service.  The confidential recipient is a person who can act as a voice for vulnerable older people and people with a disability.  The confidential recipient is appointed by the HSE but is independent of the HSE.  Ms. Leigh Gath Email: leigh.gath@crhealth.ie, Tel: LoCall 1890 1000 14. 

Banking & Financial Services

• Banks, Credit Unions & Building Societies

  Allied Irish Bank (AIB) - Dedicated support line for 65+ customers 1800207232.

  Bank of Ireland - Priority service in branches for over-65s and carers from 10-11am, Monday to Friday.  Over-65s and carers can call dedicated line on 1800 946 146 (9.30am to 4.30pm, Mon-Fri).

  Credit Union Ireland - 01 614 6700; Credit Union Locator

  Educational Building Society (EBS) - Call 1850 654 321 or 01 665 8000

  KBC - Helpline for over 65 cocooning 1800 804 472.

  Permanent TSB - Cocooning customers helpline 1800 218 000.

  Ulster Bank - Cocooning customers helpline 1800 656 001.

   

• Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI)

  Cocooning during COVID-19: A Guide to help customers manage their money - BPFI published a special information guide, providing practical advice for cocooning customers on the various ways in which they can manage their day-to-day banking and finances in a safe way while they stay at home. In addition each of the five retail banks, AIB, Bank of Ireland, KBC, permanent tsb and Ulster Bank now have dedicated phonelines (listed below) to assist cocooning customers during the Covid-19 crisis.  The guide gives essential banking advice for those cocooning which includes details on over the phone and online banking options; Making payments over the phone; Calling your bank; Getting help with your banking.

  AIB	1800 207 232
  Bank of Ireland	1800 946 146
  KBC Bank	1800 804 472
  permanent tsb	1800 218 000
  Ulster Bank Ireland DAC	1800 656 001

   

  Safeguarding Your Money Now and in the Future - BPFI along with its member banks and with support from Safeguarding Ireland have developed a guide on Safeguarding Your Money Now and in the Future which provides advice on how you can best prepare for a time when you may need assistance to properly manage your money.

  Banking & Payments Industry COVID-19 Support FAQs

• Other Financial Support Services

  ANSAC Credit Union (Army Naval Services Air Corps) - Tel: 01 855 4489

  Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection - information on services and payments for people affected by COVID-19.  Register for MyWelfare.  For Exceptional Needs Payments/Supplementary Welfare Allowance, you can contact your local community welfare officer/Intero Office. You can access the details for your local office by calling 1890 800 024

  Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) -  MABS is the State’s money advice service, guiding people through dealing with problem debt over than twenty years.  It runs a Helpline (0761 07 2000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm) and also operates from over 60 locations nationwide.

  Revenue - COVID-19 Information and advice for taxpayers and agents; Register for MyAccount.

• Additional Supports/Advice

  Support with Money Management - Sage Advocacy, 6th May 2020

Other Needs

• Legal Advice

  Community Law & Mediation - In response to the increased need for legal information and advice, will be running FREE LEGAL ADVICE CLINICS BY PHONE in the areas of social welfare, housing, debt and employment. General queries also welcome.  To book a phone consultation, please contact 01 847 7804 or 061 536 100 and leave your name, number and the county you are calling from.

• Information Technology Supports

  Covid19 Tech Help is a group of volunteers who have come together to help the elderly in our communities who are 'cocooning' and isolated due to the COVID-19 crisis, with free over the phone help to resolve any IT or technical issues they have.  This is a free service, and as such, no-one will be asked for any personal details such as access to their bank details, cards etc. Call distribution will be done randomly and recorded. The twitter feed is also logged.

  The Age Action Getting Started KIT materials supports older people to learn, use, and be confident using smartphones and applications so they can keep in touch with their loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic. The material can be downloaded or older people can call 01 8730372 leave their name and address and Age Action will post the How to Guides within 10 days.

  Vodafone have launched a new Tech Advice/Smart Phone Support Line for older people. (01) 8731166, open Mon - Fri 9am to 6pm