Donegal has been chosen to kick-start a nationwide series of security seminars after the recent spate of burglaries on elderly people across the county.
Organised in response to a growing fear among older people about security at home, the events are free and open to the public.
The first seminar, which will be held on Thursday night, takes place at Letterkenny’s Station House Hotel and is expected to draw a large crowd.
Over the next 12 months a total of 18 seminars will take place in 18 counties around the country attended by local Community Policing members of An Garda Síochána, security consultants and community representatives and organised by Bluebird Care.
Marty Kelly, Director of Bluebird Care Donegal, said there is a responsibility on all of us to take a ‘community approach’ in terms of being aware of older people living around us.
“This first security seminar in Donegal comes on the back on a dangerous spate of burglaries targeting older people in their homes and marks a very worrying time for them. We have already seen an increase in calls from family members for overnight care for their parents who may live alone.”
Eddie O’Toole, Operations Director of Bluebird Care says, “There has been a 60% increase in calls to Senior Line – a freephone line for older people – worried about security at home.
“And this is also reflected in our own network as we hear anecdotal evidence from the thousands of older people that we work with on a daily basis. We are inviting members of local communities, neighbourhood watch schemes, residents associations and other interested groups along.”
The security seminar takes place at 7:30pm on Thursday 28th February in the Station House Hotel, Letterkenny.
For more information contact Marty Kelly, Bluebird Care Donegal on 074-9129562 or email donegal@bluebirdcare.ie. You can also log onto www.bluebirdcare.ie/security-seminars for more information.
Tags:
