Social Connections Volunteer Visitor

Approximately 20% of all older adults experiences loneliness and isolation, which can have a detrimental impact on their physical, emotional and mental well being. Loneliness is as detrimental for a person's health, as obesity, smoking 15-20 cigarette a day, or alcoholism. The Social Connections Team at Age Concern provide services and support that mitigate against the effects of loneliness and isolation amongst our older people. Our Coordinators work to address the barriers and difficulties that older adults face when attempting to re-engage in community life and maintain an active role within their communities. Our Accredited Visiting Service provides regular visits to older people who would like more company, to reduce social isolation and loneliness. Our Visiting Service program, provides matched companionship to those older adults in need of support. As a Volunteer Visitor you would enhance the well-being and quality of life of an older person by providing companionship and support. A number of older people living independently in the community, for various reasons may be lonely and socially isolated, spending most of each day alone. As a visitor you have the opportunity to spend quality time with a lonely older person on a regular basis, building a mutually beneficial friendship. We work to match clients and volunteers based on personality, interests, hobbies and things in common. Our visitors are volunteers who are keen to spend time with an older person for about an hour each week to enjoy conversation and shared interests and activities. Our volunteer visitors are from a variety of backgrounds and ages. What they have in common is warmth, friendliness and a desire to make a difference in the life of an older person.