Updates from ALONE:

• Last week, it was announced that regional restrictions were to be implemented in  Kildare, Offaly and Laois  following a spike in COVID- 19 cases in these counties. We sent the attached update to staff on Friday.  We have also stalled volunteer befriending visits in these counties.

• You will find the most recent weekly progress report and graphic from ALONE attached below. Housing once again was the highest area of need amongst our callers with support from ALONE staff with home maintenance, decluttering and grant applications for improved accessibility and insulation.

• ALONE has responded to an announcement made today by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien on the allocation of €73.75 million made available for Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability living in private houses in 2020. Read more about the response here.

Other updates:

• As of Monday the 10th of August, face masks have become mandatory by law in shops and shopping centres along with a few other settings, the full list of which can be found here. Certain individuals are exempt from wearing face masks, including those that may have trouble breathing or may find it distressing to wear one.

• On Monday, the HSE  reassured users of its Covid Tracker app that the software update being rolled out to all Android users would solve the issue with battery life.

• Deaf Irish Sign Language users can avail of information about COVID-19 using the Irish Remot​e​ Interpreting Service (IRIS). This service is available 9am-7pm Monday-Friday and 10am-4pm on Saturday. Click here to access the service.

• The Trinity College Dublin Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) has developed a smartphone app, Neureka, that will contain games and questionnaires to further ongoing research that is analysing and identifying cognitive markers that might indicate an individual’s risk of developing Dementia in the future. Find out more here and download the app here.

• Heritage Week is beginning next week and running from the 15th-23rd of August. Unlike previous years, the majority of projects and events are running online while those that are taking place in person, like the ‘Conservation in Action at the National Gallery of Ireland‘ event, may require some advance booking. Find the full list of projects here.

10Aug20 External Metrics