AFTER each visit to my “OAPal”, I cycle away smiling broadly to myself.
Although I have to remain on the chilly doorstep nowadays, I know I’ve brightened her day and she without fail always brightens mine.
We met about three-and-a-half years ago, matched by Age UK Wandsworth through a slightly bizarre dating-style application based on interests and location.
I signed up for the Befriender scheme wanting to offer company to an older person who might be feeling lonely, hoping I would enjoy myself too.
But after spending hundreds of hours sharing homemade soup, sipping coffees, sitting at hospital bedsides and swapping tales – I have ended up with a lifelong friend.
It’s a lengthy but worthwhile process – I had to get a recommendation, fill out an application and then go through safeguarding training and an interview before sitting down with Maureen.
I agreed to allocate at least an hour to spend with her each week, and have managed to do so with the odd blip for holidays and inpatient stays.
It stopped being an act of volunteering fairly quickly and my weekly slot with her is just a regular event in my social calendar now.
The pandemic changed how we could be together – luckily she is a Skype pro so we used that during the first lockdown, before I was able to sit safely in her garden throughout the summer.
Now I wrap up warm and take a flask of tea to natter from her doorstep, as she sits inside near a radiator and I repeatedly ask if she is cold.
‘LIFELONG FRIEND’
Witnessing how much Maureen (and myself) needed to remain in proper contact with friends through the turbulent year made me worry for older people who aren’t tech savvy, or don’t have someone checking in with them.
Loneliness amongst the elderly is a growing problem which has been made far worse during the pandemic, with millions now isolated over the winter.
Tragically, Age UK saw a 300 per cent increase in the number of older people requesting a telephone friendship service during the height of the pandemic.
At the beginning of November, 6.1 million people over 60 years old said they were feeling especially lonely.
It is thought more than 850,000 older people could have been alone this Christmas, after a year which has seen many feel more lonely than ever.
The elderly have been left struggling with the feeling of isolation, boredom and loneliness – not knowing when they might be able to next have proper human contact.
