Age Concern in Auckland have long provided valuable services to elderly people in New Zealand, however, COVID-19 has put extra strain and stress on their vulnerable community.Age Concern has risen to meet the challenges thrown up at them by a pandemic which places the community they care for at the highest risk.

The 744 older people who are part of Auckland Age Concern's Visiting Service are receiving a weekly phone call from their volunteer, ensuring they get regular social contact while they are in isolation in their homes and no face-to-face visits can happen. From these contacts, the Visiting Service can also find out about any problems and provide additional support if it is required.

In The Age Concern team in Auckland continue to do their essential work from home, but they also now provide specific services that have arisen from COVID-19 need.As of 28 April, Age Concern in Auckland have:

• Coordinated for 114 older people to receive groceries they needed
• Organised weekly welfare calls for 86 lonely older people
• Organised 12 older people to get their prescription medication
• Arranged food parcels or clothing for 10 older people who needed this support
• Continued calling our 8,000 members and clients to check on their welfare and ensure they have the assistance and support they need

To help with this important work, Age Concern in Auckland have taken on 250 new volunteers; people dedicating their time in this uncertain time to help the elderly in their community.

If you are interested in finding out more about this, or Age Concern Auckland's vital work in general, please visit their website at the link below:

• Age Concern Auckland's website

COVID Effort: Age Concern in Auckland have stepped up their efforts and added new services to their programme in response to the COVID-19 pandemic