Hospices have warned they need more funding to keep up the services they run every day.
The Hospice Together Group launched their 25th national coffee morning earlier – hoping to raise €2m on September 14th.
The group is warning that there has been increased demand on services over recent years, with CSO figures suggesting there will be an extra 20,000 people over the age of 65 every year for the next 30 years.
The number of people over the age of 85 meanwhile is set to triple – leading to concern over how stretched hospices will cope in the coming years.
John Lavelle, Assistant Director of Nursing at Our Lady's Hospice in Dublin said increased fundraising will be extremely important in order to continue providing care.
“[It is] hugely important and even more so over the last couple of years with decreases in funding,” he said.
“Fundraising like this [...] all goes towards patients. Patient services, patient facilities and maintaining a lot of services that we have in place.”
Leo O'Kennedy, a volunteer at Our Lady's said staff work hard every day to make it a special place for residents.
“There is a lot of sadness here in the hospice and that is inevitable - but it is also a very, very happy place and people are always smiling,” she said.
“It really is a very pleasant place to be.”
Nancy Freeman is leaving the hospice tomorrow and described how she was treated during her stay:
“I suffer so much with my shoulders and my arms and hands and knees,” she said. “But now, I think I will be able to do the marathon.”
“I have to say, they are wonderful – the nursing staff, everybody is excellent. The whole experience here, they make me feel so welcome.
“I am lonely going home. And I am going home on my own to my own place.”
The coffee morning fundraising initiative is 25 years old this year and is aiming to raise €2m – equivalent to 10% of the early budget for hospices around the country.
People around the country are being asked to host fundraisers in their workplaces and businesses.
If your workplace or business is interested in hosting a coffee morning in aid of a hospice, log on to hospicecoffeemorning.ie for more details.
