The opposition health spokesman made the claim during an interview on The AM Show on Thursday morning. Read more

They have reported that one family, they have helped had not eaten properly for days.

Auckland-based organiser Harpreet Singh said the group had recruited volunteers and planned operations in Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, Whangarei and Hamilton.

Singh said the group, a Sikh Aware initiative which is open to all people, was motivated to help those who are following self-isolation guidance.

The service is open to all who are self-isolating.

That included medical staff and others, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Those needing food are asked to order their groceries at their local store.

Volunteers will then arrange a pickup.

The goal is to provide same-day delivery if the order is placed before 12 pm.

Singh said volunteers were reimbursed by electronic banking for the groceries but provided free deliveries to the doors of people self-isolating.

One family who was self-isolating after returning from India had not eaten adequately for days, he said.

"They sent us a huge grocery list. They needed all kinds of essentials."

Volunteers at Sikh Aware are adhering to rules about not having physical contact or close contact with people in self-isolation, Singh said.

Singh said the group was busy last Friday and Hindus and Muslim volunteers were also offering help.

Sikh Aware NZ, Whangarei Sikh Society and Deg Tegh Fateh Sikh Society Christchurch were involved.

Harpreet Singh, an IT worker, migrated to Auckland in 2014 with his family.

He founded Sikh Aware in 2018 to educate other New Zealanders about the religion and advocate on behalf of vulnerable Sikh migrant workers.

According to the to latest census data about 41,000 Sikhs now live in New Zealand.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• facebook
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

David Atkinson is using the Church's equipment and content comes from the community.

Many people can stay connected well with phone calls, Facebook and Zoom calls, but it is important to not forget about those who were less tech-savvy.

"We needed to reach out in some other way," says Atkinson.

With that need in mind, we wanted to connect older folks, but also people who don't have data or access to the internet."

Horowhenua District councillor Sam Jennings said the radio station was aimed at older people and those who did not have access to the internet or other news sources.

Jennings was providing information for the news and announcements and was working on increasing content and interviews from mayor Bernie Wanden and other figures.

"We want to use it as an opportunity to have an active audience to talk about stuff."

Jennings said he was concerned about vulnerable people who didn't have the internet, who were reliant on NewsTalk ZB and the 6 pm news, but were missing local news, such as new supermarket opening hours.

Atkinson encouraged people to send him contributions, as the show could run all day if there was enough content.

Atkinson said he was an amateur radio operator and the church had previously bought radio station equipment that had been gathering mothballs.

The radio station went on air for the first time last Friday.

Listen Up, uses the frequency 88.3 FM and is broadcasting each morning at 10.30 am.

The radio station is run from Atkinson's house with a laptop and a "tiny antenna" that can only reach the northern half of Levin because of licensing.

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• stuff.co.nz
• wn.anglican.org.nz
• Image: godtube.com

Researchers in the US found that loneliness, or "social isolation", was a key motivation behind the euthanasia requests of 37 of 66 cases reviewed.

The study by the National Institute of Health looked at killings carried out between 2011 and 2014.

These were permitted even though a person can qualify for euthanasia under Dutch law only if they are suffering unbearably from an untreatable condition.

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"Many of those people are living alone, and they have lost connection with their families…. they haven't made the networks that possibly they could make, and possibly should make." Age Concern chief executive Ann Martin says

Age Concern met with the Minister for Senior Citizens this week to brief him on the issues facing older New Zealanders, including this growing number of senior citizens suffering from chronic loneliness.

A new report in Ireland has found that loneliness is also the biggest problem faced by older people living alone in that country

The Irish report covers attitudes to growing old, the younger generation, family links, income support, crime, housing, religion and employment.

Read the Irish report

Source

• TV3
• Image: Exclaim.ca