Over 6,000 people isolating across Donegal have been keeping busy with activity packs delivered through a council initiative.
The packs, delivered safely to the doors of older people, contain activity sheets, quizzes, recipes, an exercise guide and motivational quotes to promote good wellbeing during Covid-19. They also contain seeds for gardening and a chocolate treat.
The deliveries have been brightening the days of thousands of older people, many of whom have been unable to leave their homes since March.
The initiative developed from the YOURS Project, an Intergenerational Project which brings together young people under the age of 18 and those over the age of 55 together around the county. Project Co-ordinator Sharleen Tinney wanted to reconnect with participants at Easter, and created over 300 care packs to begin with.
The packs were such a success that the idea was expanded on a much larger scale through the Donegal Age Friendly programme. Last week, Sharleen worked alongside Mairead Cranley, Donegal Age Friendly, and Mary Clyde, PPN Resource Worker and a wide variety of community resource groups to bring packs to 6,000 people cocooning all over Donegal, as well as Tory and Arranmore Island.
Sharleen Tinney and Mary Cylde on one of many recent care pack deliveries
The packs have been a real treat for people in isolation. Not only are they a surprise gift but they contain materials that can keep them occupied for hours. The packs also contain the new physical activity guide from HSE Community Physiotherapy for adults who are cocooning.
“It is even more important than normal for Older People to remain active while self isolating both mentally and physically, this simple pack was designed to help that and help them get back to their normal activities more quickly when the restrictions of COVID lift in the future,” said Mairead Cranley, Age Friendly Donegal.
A special thanks to our sponsors the Age-Friendly Alliance, Donegal County Council, the YOURS Project, Young and Old, Understanding, Remembering and Sharing, the Public Participation Network, Donegal Sports Partnership, Highland Radio, the Older Persons Council, Local Link Bus, the HSE, Brian O’Donnells Garden centre Dungloe, Templecrone Coop, Supervalu, So Lo and Alice Bonner, Stranorlar for that special treat.
This project is supported by the EU’s Peace IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)
