Silverline

I was a little worried this morning about that lonely old man showing himself as so vulnerable and living by himself.....

This IS the problem though sunseeker. I agree that you wouldn't expect your late husbands family to look after you, but we are not talking about "looking after" the elderly here we are talking about visiting, telephoning, chatting, befriending etc. and it saddens me when old people talk about not expecting their families to visit or call saying "they have their own families to worry about" YOU ARE THEIR FAMILY !!!

gillybob Whilst I don't consider myself elderly and I am able to be active and get out - I don't have any family. My late husband's family are very supportive but if I become infirm and unable to get out I would not expect them to look after me, they have lives and families of their own.

They are closing day centres in my area due to severe lack of funding which won't help the situation. I can't see why they couldn't have used lottery funding to keep THEM open.

Heard Silverline and Jill Shaw Ruddock's ideas discussed on Woman's Hour this morning.

Jill wants to set up second half centres around the country, I liked what she said but I see transport as a big problem especially in rural areas.

I think its truly sad that some elderly people never see or speak to anyone from one week to the next. Do they all really have NO family ? Or have they just outlived their usefullness and been disgarded and forgotten about?

I was at a meeting which included Age Scotland people , Esther Rantzen, and some people from other local organisations, discussing setting up Silverline in Scotland. After Esther Rantzen had outlined the plans for it, regular phone calls etc, the 82-year-old disabled lady sitting next to me said she didn't want anyone phoning her, she wasn't old and frail and lonely!

Could someone please define 'elderly'? I'd love to know what it means, presumably not just retired?

Anything with which Esther Rantzen is involved is unlikely not to have thought about security.

I became aware of the extreme loneliness of some older people when I was looking after Vulnerable and Intimidated Witnesses and had to support one woman who had accused someone of stealing from her. She changed her story each time it became apparent that the last one was 'rumbled' just so I had to keep calling. We eventually passed her on to SS.

Like we have usernames, perhaps so could the people who might use Silverline? I would imagine there would be something set in place to ensure safety.

There are lonely people of all ages, but I'm sure some older people would be really glad of this.

I'm concerned about the security aspect too, many elderly people are very gullible.

Such a shame, that the days when elders could sit outside their frontdoors and chat to neighbours and passersby, have gone.

It was on Breakfast News this morning, and I share your concerns, while applauding the general idea. It is so sad that there are so many lonely people out there, who seem so cut off from their community. I know that locally, there is a scheme to befriend an older person, and to visit them once a week, especially in some of the very isolated rural places. Just feel tentative about that too..

Perhaps my worries are about security. Say for instance a criminal phoned saying they were Silverline and the person should do x or should buy y. Does Silverline use a safe word when they phone... Or have I spent too long working on the seamier side of life!

I was listening to Radio Scotland just now, where Silverline was being discussed. I do think it's a good idea. The person who was discussing it on Kaye Adams' show worked for the Aberdeen Ambulance Service. She said she was really concerned at the amount of elderly people who had attempted suicide. If Silverline can help with this, by the person knowing that there will be a phone call once a week, or be there at the end of a line to chat, should there be a need, then surely this can't be a bad thing?

I think this is a good idea.

I wonder why it worries you, Brendawymms.

Here's the link to find out more:

www.thesilverline.org.uk/

I think it's a lovely idea