Friendly Calls helps provide connection

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This article was published 15/08/2023 (1122 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Killarney’s Dorothy McLean doesn’t get out as much as she used to due to mobility issues, and as a social person, she says she misses being able to meet up with or run into friends while out and about.

“I used to be out all the time visiting, going to church, bible studies, even shopping. I just used to be gone, gone, gone,” McLean said.

That’s why the Friendly Calls program offered by the Red Cross appealed to McLean. It’s like a match-making service that pairs a volunteer with someone who would benefit from a friendly voice on the other end of the phone line.

“I heard about it in the Killarney Guide — that’s about three years ago now. I’m 85, and I’m in a wheelchair. My husband Gordon and I have been married 57 years and he’s five years younger than I am, but it’s not easy for him to put out the ramp,” McLean said.

Friendly Calls is a national program that was introduced as a pilot project during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, but it became so successful, the Red Cross decided to make it permanent.

Participants must be over the age of 18 who want to benefit from connecting with someone between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays at a mutually agreed upon time.

McLean has her caller booked once a week — at the beginning of the week.

“It’s very, very helpful, it lifts my spirits and makes me look forward to another Monday. We ask each other how we’re doing, check in about the weather, and for the last year, I’ve had the same person. We also talk about recipes; I like to hear about her children — they’re grown now, you know. And then I tell her some things about our children,” McLean said.

In Manitoba, there are 92 people who have signed up to receive a friendly call.

And since 2021, volunteers have provided two million minutes of call support across the country, said Maxine Schminke, a community programming adviser with the Red Cross in Brandon.

“It’s creating safety for somebody who may be feeling isolated or lonely and emphasizes that there are people out there for that person,” Schminke said.

“We have people who signed up themselves, or families that have referred someone, and then we have a roster of volunteers. We get to know what the participants’ interests and hobbies are — things like that. And then we match them with volunteers who have similar interests, so they can have really good wholesome conversations.”

The volunteers go through training, and ongoing support is provided by the Red Cross, which includes cultural awareness education.

The callers also receive sessions in psychological first aid, which teaches them to recognize what experts refer to as the four Ls; look, listen, link and live, said Schminke.

With the look aspect, callers are expected to notice if their participant is more stressed than usual. Listen refers to listening to what they have to say.

Link is being able to provide their participant with resources or other support they may need, and live is asking what they enjoy doing, whether it’s listening to music, going for walks or connecting with nature.

What Schminke said was a nice surprise about the program is the positive feedback, and not just from the participants’ point of view.

“I’ve heard from volunteers who told me, ‘The program helps me just as much as I help the participants,’” Schminke said.

Westman resident Anne Preston has been a volunteer caller for about two years. She has four participants, and spends “anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour on the phone, with five calls per week.”

“I like talking to these people, they’re awesome,” Preston said. “I’m not there to judge them. I am here to let them know that they are not alone.”

People need to hear a friendly voice, Preston added.

“I was looking for something to do to keep my brain busy, so if there’s anybody that’s retired like me, it’s all positive. And if there is somebody out there who is lonely, I’m hoping I’m putting a smile on their face. Connecting with my clients is fun,” Preston said.

For Dorothy McLean, neither she nor her husband have a cellphone — “just the landline.” She even remembers growing up with a party line, which meant that several homes were on the same telephone line, which was common in rural areas.

So, the phone has always meant being able to connect with a person on the other end of the line, McLean said.

“It’s always nice to know that you’re getting called, and it just makes me happy being able to talk with someone.”

The Red Cross is accepting volunteers and participants for its Friendly Calls program.

For more information, call 1-833-979-9779.

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