For many older people who live alone or without social companionship, life can be more stressful than it needs to be, particularly during these turbulent times. And if they are housebound or have restricted mobility, or suffer from a long term illness, all this can lead to increased levels of depression and anxiety.
One Westminster has now moved its face-to-face befriending service for older people to a telephone friendship service while the pandemic lasts. If you have 30 minutes a week to spare for a chat with an older person over the phone, you could make a huge difference to the quality of their life, in particular their wellbeing. For many these chats are the highlight of their week.
If you want to volunteer for this personally rewarding role, then we would like to hear from you. You’ll need to be able to communicate empathetically and be good on the phone, have great enthusiasm and a strong sense of commitment to helping older people lead better lives. Check out the role description here.
If your application is successful, One Westminster will train you and then match you with a suitable older person.
To find out more, either phone project coordinator Natalie Castro on 07484 542228, or email her.
When this pandemic ends we plan to resume face-to-face meetings, so if you'd rather wait till then, simply watch this space for further news.