b'COPE GALWAYMeet some of the people you have helped* Names have been changedCatherine * 80sRuth * 19 I am a woman in my 80s living alone and usually lead a very independent life, I have friends and family that I would see and they would visit me, so not being able to plan trips Ruthwasnineteenwhenshepresentedtoamentaland visits made me feel alone.It was comforting to know healthservicewithfeelingsofdepressionandsuicidethat COPE Galway was there to help in a variety of ways ideation.In meeting with her, the mental health serviceand I knew that I could get help with shopping and mytraced much of her trauma to an upbringing marred bypension collection and a chat over the phone if I needed it. abuse in the home, leaving her with feelings of isolation, I am slowly gaining my condence and independence back inadequacy and no self-worth. The mental health servicebut I am still somewhat anxious about the future. It is nice referred Ruth to COPE Galways domestic abuse service,to know that COPE Galway is there for me at this recognizingourexpertise.ModhEileHouseprovideddifcult time.a safe and welcoming space for Ruth to come to, where our team acknowledged and validated all that she experi-enced, helping her to see that she was so much more thanJames * 80sthat experience.Ruth will live with the memory of the abuse, but it will no longer dene her future.I live alone and I have really appreciated the regularcontact I have had with COPE Galway during COVID just checking in with me means a lot and it picks me up if Im feeling a bit down. I know I can just pick up the Grainne * phone if I need anything. & her four teenage sonsGrainnewhohasfourteenagesonsagedbetween 14and18,soughtadmissiontoWatersideHouse, Rita * late 70sfollowingaparticularlyviolentencounterwithherhusband. We could not accept her, as the building only provided for communal shower and bathroom areas, so it was impossible to have boys over fourteen on site. Grainne was faced with the unthinkable dilemma of leaving herThe sta in COPE Galway has been a great support to me over the past few years, boys to save herself, or staying, and so putting herself atthey do everything they can to help me.The months during lockdown have been risk. We were able to identify another safe location for very hard when I couldnt do all the things Im used to doing and I couldnt see my this family, however, we were reminded of the need tofriends and family so COPE Galway has become even more important to meprovide for young men and women, who are also victim- They make sure I have food, my pension and my bills are paid, but ized.Now they can be safely and appropriatelyreally what I love is having them call to my door to say hello and have sheltered in Modh Eile House. a chat. connect 2020 34'