WATCH: Glenilen Farm partners with ALONE to celebrate older community members

Glenilen Farm, a family-run dairy farm owned and managed by husband and wife duo Alan and Valerie Kingston in Drimoleague, Co. Cork, has partnered with ALONE, the charity which supports older people to age at home, in a series of online videos which encourage younger people to ‘Ask a Few Simple Questions’ to older members of their communities.

The videos depicts Julie Galvin, aged 6, from Mallow in Co. Cork, meeting with, and chatting to some of the older members of the West Cork community, and asking them a few simple questions about what their life was like growing up in rural Ireland.

One of those interviewed by Julie is Betty Levis, from Durrus in Co. Cork. Betty used to milk cows by hand on Ilen Farm in the 1930s.

Julie: “What’s the best thing about being 95?”

Betty Levis: “To think that you came over to see me today!”

The objective of the collaboration is to highlight the importance of social engagement with older members of the community, and to emphasise how every member of our society deserves the time and space to tell their own personal story, which is a basic human requirement.

Alan Kingston, Co-Founder of Glenilen Farm commented:

'We are delighted to partner with ALONE on this project, and indeed going forward. ALONE is a charity we have long admired and felt an alignment to. We want to help them in whatever capacity we can to spread awareness of the services they offer and the important work that they do'.

ALONE CEO Seán Moynihan added:

'We are delighted to partner with Glenilen Farm to demonstrate the importance of community connections, of listening and simply giving older people the opportunity to speak to someone when they might not otherwise. In Ireland, 60% of older people aged 80 and over live alone. Together we need to build a community infrastructure that changes the tide of ageing in Ireland and gives people the supports they need to age happily in their own homes'.

The series was produced and edited by Storicreative – based in The Ludgate Centre in Skibbereen

To find out more information about getting support from or volunteering for ALONE, visit alone.ie or lo-call 0818 222 024.