More than just a friendly call
Federally funded pilot project to help seniors out of isolation
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Friday, September 9, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Seniors who are feeling isolated will soon have more friends to chat with.
Status of Women Council of the NWT executive director Lorraine Phaneuf says new Friendly Calls to Seniors program will give elders across the territory more opportunity to socialize. - NNSL file photo |
In the fall, the Status of Women Council of the NWT is launching Friendly Calls to Seniors, a free pilot program that will connect elders in the NWT with volunteers from Yellowknife.
Council executive director Lorraine Phaneuf said the program will provide seniors a chance to socialize.
It will also act as a safety check for those who don't have much contact with family members.
"We did a lot of community outreach and this is something that has come up as a good way to support seniors living in isolation," she explained.
Federal government program New Horizons for Seniors has provided the council $25,000 to run Friendly Calls to Seniors for one year.
The council is now recruiting volunteers in Yellowknife from all cultures and backgrounds. Volunteers will receive training in order to participate in the program.
Phaneuf said clients across the NWT who would like to receive a call from someone for support and social contact will connect with a volunteer, and then the volunteer and senior will determine the time and regularity of their phone calls. According to an information sheet about the program, individual phone calls would ideally last about 10 minutes, with longer calls possible at the discretion of the volunteer.
"Some folks who are isolated in their homes could really benefit from just hearing another human voice over the line, talking about things they have in common," said Phaneuf.
Once it launches, the volunteers will have the opportunity to provide feedback at monthly meetings.
According to the Canadian Psychological Association, an estimated 1.3 million seniors in Canada currently suffer from chronic loneliness.
The statistics include seniors living alone both at home and in a facility or group home.
Social isolation can result in reduced social skills, according to the National Seniors Council. The council also states that social isolation is considered a risk factor for elder abuse, including financial abuse and could increase fear of crime and theft, making seniors less likely to participate in social activities.
For Friendly Calls to Seniors, some participants will require a daily phone call at a scheduled time while others may prefer a less frequent calls, Phaneuf said.
"There seems to be a lot of interest. We're hoping to match people up as early as possible," she said.
