Londonderry project aims to get elderly connected

A PROJECT to digitally connect the older generation with their family and friends to combat loneliness has been launched in Londonderry.

With more restrictions announced, people at the Greater Shantallow Area Partnership (GSAP), along with church groups, are hoping to supply all the city’s elderly with new or nearly new ipads.

The ‘Let’s Get All Generations Connected’ campaign is looking for people to donate used or new ipads or monetary donations which can be left with local churches so older people can stay connected.

Pat Carlin, families connect co-ordinator at the organisation, said: “This year, Greater Shantallow Area Partnership is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

“In that time, we have worked tirelessly, like so many in our city, to provide a voice to many people, who have often found themselves marginalised.

“Our older citizens are also badly in need of a way to link with the outside world. Many of our older people are devoted and highly valued members of our city’s faith communities.

“We have turned to our church leaders, in spearheading the Let’s Get All Generations Connected campaign, to appeal to their parishioners to donate IT equipment.”

Ms Carlin said that people who cannot donate an ipad can make any size of a monetary donation which will go towards materials, such as dongles, which will allow internet connections to be made if none is available.

Donations which can be left with any local church will also be used to pay for IT experts to overhaul ipads in the interests of data protection.

Ms Carlin added: “The plan is that once the churches have gathered the ipads, GSAP will be on hand to help allocate the materials to those who need them.

“We will contact our church and community partners across the city to ask for the names of older residents, who they believe would benefit most from the campaign.

“At the point of delivery, we will then allocate church and community volunteers to help set up the equipment. We will also help reassure any recipient that the helpers will fully abide by government guidance on social distancing and will use PPE on their visits, to avoid any undue anxiety or stress about that issue.

“These volunteers will also be able to arrange for follow-up visits, through GSAP, to make sure that any ongoing assistance will be available on the use of the ipads, so that the links to family and friends and their spiritual community continue.”