|
|
Phone Pals Play Vital Role for Elderly Folks
Home Alone
Washington County Volunteers Call to Check on Senior Citizens' Safety and Security, or Just to Socialize
Maya Blackmun
August 26, 2004
Three times a week, JoAnn Havel makes a call to a man she's never met.
Since they started talking in April, Havel, 72, has learned about his children and grandchildren -- exchanging a bit about her own family -- and his activities, such as baking something for the fair. They've reveled in the success of "Jeopardy!" quiz show phenom Ken Jennings.
But the Sherwood woman is sure to keep her focus as a concerned listener, covering certain basics each time. The man, in his late 60s, has had a number of health problems and lives alone elsewhere in Washington County. She asks whether he's keeping up with his medications and urges him to be sure to get enough rest.
Sometimes he shares his low moments, like when a medical test doesn't go well. She often follows up with an additional call, and he tells her that just the sound of her voice makes him feel better.
With each call, Havel says, he usually makes her chuckle with a new joke and she gets a feeling of satisfaction.
"I really had a strong feeling they'd be a good match," said Colleen Dorough, manager of the Seniors Keeping in Touch program. "They're always up to something."
Havel is a volunteer with the Skit program, as it's often called. The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Washington County, based in King City, developed the telephone reassurance program.
RSVP connects adults ages 55 and older with opportunities to address issues in their communities. The telephone check program, which has been around at least seven years, recognizes that people may often live much of their later years alone, far from family, Dorough said.
Skit is a way for elderly people in need to get calls at set times throughout the week and for senior citizens wanting to volunteer -- including those who may be confined to their homes themselves -- a chance to contribute. But Larry Daw of Tigard, president of the group's advisory council, doesn't think enough folks know about the program.
Currently, there are 19 callers -- with an average age of 73 -- reaching out to 24 people, with an average age of 82. There have been some callers -- including some in their 90s -- who became call recipients as their memory or health declined.
All but one of the volunteers are themselves senior citizens, said Marg Arnold, director of RSVP of Washington County.
Margaret Larsen, 84, of Forest Grove has been calling other seniors for nearly a decade. She heard about the program while volunteering at the Hillsboro Senior Center.
"I thought, 'Hey, I could do that,' " Larsen said.
A phone pal veteran, Larsen checks up on one woman each day and calls friend Hetty Haurwitz, 81, six days a week. On Saturdays, Haurwitz returns the favor.
Larsen likes that she can help others without leaving her home.
"This is something I can do for people who need a little bit of help," Larsen said.
While the Washington County program provides ongoing phone contact, many senior centers and programs can arrange for phone calls during emergencies or upon request.
The Hillsboro, Forest Grove and North Plains Senior centers take names of those interested in calling or receiving calls and refers them to Skit, which finds matches for them.
The Lake Oswego Adult Community Center has a Tel-A-Buddy program, which was reactivated about a year ago, for senior citizens to get phone calls throughout the week, said Berta Derman, the center's social services supervisor. But only one volunteer is calling just two enrolled people.
But in the center's Project Alert, which is about 20 years old, she has three volunteers calling about 50 people who might need a check during an emergency such as a power outage or severe weather.
As with the Skit program, there are protocols for people on the Lake Oswego center's list to be connected with social services if necessary. Local police may visit to check their welfare if they can't be reached or if a volunteer or emergency contact can't check on them in person.
Janet Hoffmann of Lake Oswego, a longtime volunteer at the center who serves on its social services advisory committee, has been helping for about six months.
In a recent round of calls to the 17 people on her list, she urged them to stay out of the heat, drink plenty of water and turn on fans or air conditioners. She asked if they needed anything.
Some people seemed surprised when Hoffmann telephoned. But, she said, they all end the chat with something along the lines of, "Well, thank you for calling me."
Shirley Dang of The Oregonian staff contributed to this report. Maya Blackmun: 503-294-5926; mayablackmun@news.oregonian.com.
|
|
