Post-Covid recovery GROUPS STILL NERVOUS TO REOPEN

BY ALLEN MEAGHER

Whilemost of society has marched on post-Covid, returning to life as it was before, many older people, especially in rural areas and those soaked with fear (justified or otherwise) continue to isolate. It is a challenge that local development companies are addressing.

Declan Costello, a community worker with Offaly Local Development Company, describes a recent 5k walk in a bog on a wintry day by 21 older people as a perfect example of “a good community activation event”.

“It’s normally a lot easier to reach out to women. They respond better, so we used International Men’s Day as the lynchpin for this event and targeted men first. We reached out to all the mens’ sheds in the county and after that we opened the invite to all. We still ended up with more women than men on the walk. In fairness, women are great to participate. It’s often women who push men out to join sheds.

“We’d have been happier if we got more out, but it was a fairly wintry morning and that would have put off some people, although the rain eased off for the walk. But we were glad to see people such as Mick Lowe who is the secretary of Kilcormac Men’s Shed join us.”

why Community Groups are so important

Community development workers have solid reasons for seeking out club secretaries.

“There is still a hesitancy and that bit of fear,” said Declan’s colleague Louise Larkin. “We found out during the year that some chairs and secretaries are very slow to make the call to reopen. They might think of calling a meeting, but then they hear of a few people catching Covid and back off and the place stays closed.

“People might not realise it, but not all mens sheds are back. Not all active retirement groups are back. It’s the same with women’s groups, choirs - indeed many groups led by older people. Some groups are nearly gone since Covid.

“We are using SICAP to get them back – not just by organising walks but also by organising coffee mornings for example. We cover the cost.

“We are trying to encourage men’s sheds to think outside the shed too,” she said.

Again for good reason.

“We are seeing a lessoning of social opportunities since Covid,” said Declan.

“People have got nearly three years older since the pandemic and it has taken a toll on older people seeing their peers pass away. Shops and post offices have closed and there are fewer opportunities for people to meet. That’s why the groups we support are so important.

“There are still people not back meeting anyone socially,” he said.

“It might not be obvious to everyone what we’re doing. We’re still coming out of Covid and there is no doubt that this work will continue in 2023. It's a slow burn."

MORE: Read reporter Ray Lucey's report on the walk in Boora Bog - opposite page.