Members of the public have been called upon to volunteer to carry out odd jobs and put up decorations and for elderly people in the run up to Christmas.
Finding handymen to carry out repairs is a major source of concern for older people, according to research, commissioned on behalf of Age Action, which was published to coincide with the launch of the charity's 'Care & Repair' service.
The inititiave is aimed at encouraging members of the public to volunteer to carry out odd jobs and put up decorations and for elderly people in the run up to Christmas.
Volunteers at Age Action recently completed their 3,000th job for older people.
"Many of the people we work with can live independently in the own homes, but they are reaching the stage of their lives where some tasks are becoming more difficult," said Care and Repair development manager Sean Silke.
"For some, climbing on a ladder to put up a Christmas tree or decorations may be too difficult. Our volunteers are happy to go in and do this job. It may seem like a small thing — but it can make all the difference to the life of an older person," he added.
According to research carried out by Age Action, older people are extremely worried when it comes to engaging a tradesman or handyman to help with minor jobs or repairs. The high costs involved, a fear of being ripped off, and finding a person who can be trusted are all cited as reasons why older people are wary of engaging tradespeople to carry out odd jobs.
The survey found that 43 per cent of older people said accessing a handyman was something that made them anxious, while 49 per cent admitted they did not have the confidence to ask for a tradesman's credentials or qualifications.
Just 22 per cent of older people said they could manage to carry out odd jobs on their own without assistance, while three quarters of those aged over 65 admitted they would need help with more complex jobs.
One in five older people said they could not change a light bulb on their own.
Age Action currently runs 'Care and Repair' programmes in Dublin and Galway. Local community groups have also made the service available in Arklow, parts of Cork and Darndale (D 17).
Further local services will be available by early 2009 in Ballyfermot, Drogheda, Moate, Newmarket and Portarlington.
