General Chat

Esther Rantzen has helped set up a new contact line for people who are living alone and possibly housebound or just very lonely.


http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/esther-rantzen/esther-rantzen-silver-line-helpline_b_3230048.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk-ws-bb%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D178368E


Lizx

Another well meaning plan - the problem is that many older people are too proud to admit they need help and feel lonely.

There is a natural relutance to get involved with officialdom - who inevitably ask so many questions it becomes an invasion of privacy.

Churches and chapels can help a lot. Many housebound people round here are not members of a chapel but they are happy to get newsletters and are happy to be visited by church members.

And often they talk very little about religion. But is is a non-threatening lifeline for them, and they feel they are doing us a favour by inviting us in and making us a cup of tea.

And listening and sympathising is something many of us are pretty good at, and it can be very rewarding. :-) :-)

I think these chat forums are brilliant for people living alone, although I do recognise that some elderly people do not have a computor for various reasons.

However, by choosing a suitable forum, maybe linked to an interest, they can chat, share photos and info. And if you are on a number of forums, there's always someone around.

Anything that encourages communication between older folk living alone or carers stuck home with someone poorly who isn't stimulating company, will be of benefit to them from schemes to stay in touch or make contact with others.

My Mum went to a day centre once a week, which was her lifeline.
She would never have mastered or even tried using a computer tho. My cousin who is 76 thinks computers are dreadful things but luckily she has good neighbours and a warden who pop in to see her and her son goes every week. There are times when she can't go far because she has health problems but when she can she will get a bus and go out. The time may come when she can't do that and I hope she still has the visitors. Many people don't have visitors tho and that must be awful.

Lizx

This thread has given me an idea of what to do when I retire shortly. Do some visiting.

It is enjoyable to go and chat to elderly or housebound. I can tell them all about my wonderful life and they can sit silent and be amazed. I might even take them a Power Point demonstration of key events in my life :-) ;-)

Seriously, I do like to listen to all their news and views, and usually manage to cheer people up. And they cheer me up. :-)

i think it says a lot about this country that it needs something set up for people living on their own
what happened to neighbours i remember them being about years ago

ice idea,will it keep you out of mischief John lol?


terryj, Sadly too many people don't bother to get to know their neighbours these days, especially if they are young and go out to work.

Lizx