Phone pals: Unique Edmonton program helps shut-in seniors dial up companionship
'They have very few people in their life to just talk to,' program assistant says
Dawn Lindenberg spends most of her day, every day, inside her south Edmonton home.
Not by choice, but since suffering a debilitating stroke in 2009, she struggles to walk. Driving is out of the question because she has problems with her short-term memory.
The 71-year-old retired teacher is thankful for her husband of more than 50 years, who helps her around their house and takes her to activities such as yoga class. But she doesn't want to be a burden.
Her best friend died, and many other people she's known over her 30 years have moved away. The lifelong extrovert felt herself becoming increasingly isolated.
"My social circle has shrunken terribly," she said.
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But thanks to a unique telephone program for seniors, Lindenberg has been able to dial up some new friends, creating a telephone social circle with whom she can play bingo or work with on brain-teaser puzzles — all without leaving her home.
"I have a group of telephone friends, I will say, telephone friends," she said, "who I have never seen faces for, but I speak with on the phone once or twice a week."
Call a friend
The Seniors' Centre Without Walls — a free, year-round telephone-based service to help seniors socialize — is an initiative of the Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network.
Established a year ago with a federal grant from the New Horizons for Seniors Program, Seniors' Centre Without Walls uses a conference-call format to connect seniors in the Greater Edmonton Area.
Many of the seniors, like Lindenberg, have barriers — often physical or financial — that prevent them from getting out and about, said program assistant Gayle Harper.
Conversation is something that they really crave.- Gayle Harper
"They all say that they have very few people in their life to just talk to, that conversation is something that they really crave," Harper said.
Seniors' Centre Without Walls organizes activities similar to those available at a bricks-and-mortar facility, including health seminars, keynote speakers, book clubs and games.
Lindenberg said a recent highlight was when the primary care network facilitated a tea party, allowing the phone pals to meet face-to-face.
There are more than 100 people on the mailing list; Lindenberg said the calls she has participated in have included from four to 17 people.
Holidays can be hard
Christmas Day will include a visit from Lindenberg's son, his wife and their children but she said it's frustrating to be trapped in the house during the celebrations throughout the season.
"I can't just pile into the car and take myself. I have to be driven wherever I'm going to go shopping, and I might have to have some help with remembering who's getting what. That's an extra burden on somebody besides myself," she said.
"But I still love Christmas very, very much."
Harper noticed there were many seniors in the same situation.
This year, the Seniors' Centre Without Walls will run special programming from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2, with daily afternoon sessions except for Dec. 23, 25 and Jan. 1.
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Many seniors centres and care networks are closed during that period, Harper said.
"You can only look at so many Christmas specials on TV or watch so many Christmas baking challenges until you start to feel like your world has just shrunk to where you live and your television set," she said.
"If we shut down during that time, like a lot of programs do, people would not have the opportunity to engage, just to have friendly conversation and fun times and laugh."