The Action

The team read reports about depression affecting the elderly and thought that there was a strong link between isolation and depression. The team had been to their local community hospital during 3rd year as part of C.S.P.E. and realised the effect their visit had on the elderly people there, so with all this in mind they chose to help the elderly community.

Throughout the project the team worked both with teachers and students in their school and externally with local healthcare professionals, the Gardaí, transport companies and various organisations who work with the elderly such as Meals on Wheels, Aware and the St Vincent de Paul Society.

The YSI team worked on lots of innovative projects to solve the issues they identified. They created and distributed resources for elderly people containing important contact information of organisations and services available to them. They encouraged local businesses to offer delivery services and discounts to the elderly of the community. They held a very successful Golden Years Expo in the Brandon House Hotel, New Ross with over 30 exhibitors and several hundred people in attendance. 

The Impact

In the future the team hopse to continue the Buddy System they set up which links young people to the elderly in their community and also launch it as part of Transition Year in other schools. They will continue to lobby those in power to reverse cuts in funding or assistance to the elderly and hope to hold an Annual Golden Years Expo.