Researchers at Maynooth University’s Department of Geography are seeking to explore older adults’ experiences of aging alone in Ireland and seeks to understand the importance of health and wellness in older age. In particular, we are interested in talking to people who can be defined as ‘elder orphans’, living alone and with no immediate family care support around them.
We are interested in the views of anyone aged 55 years or older, who fit the definition of elder orphans. We wish to find out more about peoples’ experiences of their care and support needs, how these are or are not met and their general perspectives of their local environments, taking into account any issues and challenges they may encounter.
The acknowledged views will be used to document a range of difficulties, but also positive things that people may be experiencing and the role place and where you live, impacts on their health and wellbeing as you age. The aim of the interviews ais to identify knowledge that will feed into a doctoral study, but also help inform future thinking on policy in this area.
We will be holding one to one interviews either in person or online, in the coming weeks, and hope that some members of Age Friendly Ireland might be interested in taking part.
If so, please contact the researcher directly to find out more details and to make arrangements to meet and talk at
