Browne: Reopening of day centres for elderly a welcome step

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The reopening of day centres for older people is an important milestone for those who suffered significant isolation according to Tipperary TD Martin Browne.

101 day centres will reopen by the week of July 5th with more expected to resume over the weeks of July and August.

The Sinn Fein TD says the planned gradual reopening is an extremely important development.

However the Cashel Deputy says the challenges the elderly have faced are not yet over.

“When you’ve been doing something for over 12 months and not meeting people and that it’s a whole new ball game to start going back out interacting. And having the confidence I suppose to go back with the worry that this virus is still there and that there’s uncertainty whether new variants would break out again.”

“The emotional needs of people like that – that’s going to be a big problem as we move forward so hopefully any policy that’s coming out from this on will take that into consideration as well.”