A charity is making an urgent appeal for volunteers to make regular calls to older people who are lonely or isolated.
Re-engage has around 250 people aged 75 and over who are anxious to receive a call befriending service, but are having to wait due to a shortage of volunteers. Some have been on the list for several months.
Esme is nearing her 90th birthday, is recovering from a series of operations, has poor eyesight and rarely sees visitors.
She said:
“The days are long and depressing. I often wish I wouldn’t wake up in the morning.”
Esme, from Liverpool, who was referred to Re-engage in early May, added:
“It would be so nice to hear another voice because I’m so alone. My daughter Amanda died in 2020 from pancreatic cancer.
“We were extremely close and spoke every day. Since I parted from my husband when Amanda was a baby, it had just been the two of us, and I miss her terribly. There is a big hole in my life, so hearing someone else on the phone would give me such a lift.
“Last year, I broke my leg and had to have three operations. Now I have to use a walking frame to get around indoors. It’s impossible to go out at the moment, so I’m just at home with the TV or radio for company. I can’t even read a book to pass the time.
“The trouble is that at my age, all my friends have gone, so I feel very, very alone.”
Pam, 77, has also been on the waiting list for a Call Companion for several months. She was widowed in 2016, and despite having family close by, she still feels lonely.
She said:
“I just have no one to chat to. I feel isolated most days, especially during the evenings. I just want a conversation with someone and to feel that I matter, that I’m a person in my own right.
“The phone calls will give me something to look forward to and improve my quality of life, I’m sure of that.”
Emily Mangroves, Head of Volunteering at Re-engage, said:
“Sadly, Esme and Pam’s stories are not unique. We have many older people who have been patiently waiting months to get one of our Call Companions, but at the moment, we just can’t meet the demand because volunteers are not coming forward.
“We appreciate that there are lots of pressures on people these days who may be struggling to make ends meet. But being a Call Companion means you only have to commit to half an hour a week to have a chat with an older person who will be eternally grateful.
“It’s a small sacrifice that could change a lonely person’s life in a way you would never dream is possible.”
NHS worker Paul has been a Call Companion since 2023 and makes regular calls to two older people.
Paul, 52, a father of three, said:
“Both of them structure their weeks around the calls. We all get a great deal from them.
“One of the ladies has no family and is seriously ill but despite that we spend a lot of time gossiping and laughing. It’s always fulfilling and puts everything into perspective. Everyday matters seem petty when you have the complex situations some older people have to deal with.
“Older people have so much to offer. They are knowledgeable, funny and good counsel. It’s a hugely rich experience to share their company.
“I love engaging with people, and Call Companions provides a perfect opportunity to do just that – and help someone who is lonely at the same time.”
If you want to volunteer as a Call Companion and are over 18, you can join up here: Volunteer to meet & help older people monthly: open to all ages. Or call: 0207 240 0630.
