Tranlink Press Release Older people stay on track with Help the Aged and Translink
Older people stay on track with Help the Aged and Translink
18th December 2006
Older people stay on track with Help the Aged and Translink
Help the Aged has again teamed up with public transport company, Translink, to promote SeniorLine advice, information and advocacy service to even more older people across Northern Ireland.
SeniorLine is the Help the Aged freephone advice service for older people, their relatives, carers and friends. In 2005/6, SeniorLine advisors received nearly 6,000 calls, generating over 15,000 separate enquires on issues such as Social Security and disability benefits, housing, transport, health and community care.
Translink is supporting the Help the Aged flagship service in Northern Ireland by producing information leaflets and wallet-sized cards promoting the service to older people. The cards have been distributed to every GP surgery in Northern Ireland in an attempt to reach more older people than ever before.
Sinead Campbell, Senior Advice and Advocacy Worker at SeniorLine said: “We are delighted to team up with Translink to help older people across Northern Ireland. With their support, we are able to make more people aware of the SeniorLine service. Last year, over £1.7 million of unclaimed benefits were identified and claimed by older people in Northern Ireland thanks to SeniorLine. Whether you are unsure about free public transport, pension credit, community care, benefits or housing issues, I would encourage you to contact us on 0808 808 7575. Our advisers are there to help and you might even find out about benefits that you didn’t know you were entitled to.”
Terry Butler, Translink’s Access Manager said:
“This dedicated telephone service makes a difference to many peoples’ lives, providing advice on a diverse range of topics including the many policies and benefits which are available to senior citizens through the various Government departments.
“Translink facilitate the Department for Regional Development’s ‘Northern Ireland Concessionary Fares Scheme’ which provides free travel for senior citizens. Thousands of Senior Smartpasses are used everyday on bus and rail services throughout Northern Ireland. Free travel on public transport improves our older generation’s quality of life through the provision of increased freedom and independence enabling them to visit family and friends and to carry out everyday tasks such as shopping or attending appointments with the doctor, dentist or hairdresser/barber etc.”
He concluded: “As a socially responsible organisation Translink are delighted to be support SeniorLine again this year and we would encourage senior citizen’s and their carers to make full use of the service.”
SeniorLine is a free telephone service and is accessible by calling 0808 808 7575. SeniorLine’s trained advisers are available from 9am to 4pm, Mondays to Fridays.
Email: seniorline.belfast@helptheaged.org.uk
For further information on Help the Aged contact: Joanne McKeirnan, Help the Aged Northern Ireland Tel: 028 9089 5575 Mobile: 07816 317 774 Email: joanne.mckeirnan@hta.org.uk
-ends-
Notes to Editor
? Northern Ireland Concessionary Fares Scheme’s Senior Smartpasses are due to be renewed in 2007; the Department of Regional Development will notify current senior citizens by post in January 2007. An advertising campaign will support this renewals campaign.
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