• 3,133 calls recorded by Elderly Helpline during the state of emergency
• The top reasons were grocery shopping and home care
• Support social services for elderly people in Romania must continue even after May 15

 

Between March 16 and May 14, 2020, officially declared as a state of emergency imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, Elderly Helpline, the only national, free, and confidential hotline dedicated to elderly people in Romania, recorded five times more new callers and twice as many interactions daily compared to the previous period. The 3,133 interactions with people from across the country highlighted the challenges faced by elderly people and the importance of social services dedicated to them, which address essential needs and must continue even after May 15. During this period, 900 people received counseling, guidance, practical information, or emotional support provided by Elderly Helpline through a specialized team.

Elderly Helpline it identified and mapped in real time the urgent needs expressed by elderly people across the country over the 8-week period. Almost half of those who called Elderly Helpline live alone (43%). Of all callers, 69% are women. Regarding the areas from which they called, 74% are from large cities, including Bucharest, reflecting the fact that loneliness is more pronounced in urban environments.

The main reasons why most elderly people called the special hotline were to find out how to obtain material assistance, such as food, medicine, hygiene products, useful information regarding public services during the pandemic, home delivery of groceries, home care and practical support, as well as medical information. The new types of requests received during this period concerned assistance with shopping and psychological counseling over the phone.

“În contextul pandemiei, am observat că s-au accentuat sentimentele de izolare, de neputință sau de inutilitate. Stările predominante au fost cele de disconfort, anxietate sau deprimare, dar și acutizarea simptomelor specifice tulburărilor pre-existente.”  Ioana Bejan, psiholog la Telefonul Varstnicului

“I called Elderly Helpline, requested a psychologist, and was connected with a very kind lady psychologist who restored my peace of mind. I sincerely thank you for the work you do and for all the help you provide to elderly people,” said Mrs. B.E., 80 years old, a beneficiary of the psychological counseling service.

To respond to all requests and provide emotional support or psychological counseling, Elderly Helpline team, normally composed of 3 social work specialists and 15 volunteers who help alleviate loneliness, was expanded in response to the record number of calls, with the part-time contribution of 6 psychologists and the addition of 8 more psychologists to the volunteer team. The team notes that the essential needs of many elderly people, highlighted during the crisis period, do not end with the lifting of the state of emergency:

“The fact that more elderly people called during this period is a direct consequence of the isolation and social distancing imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, even though the state of emergency has been lifted, social distancing remains a recommended protective measure, especially for this age group. Therefore, the needs of elderly people—whether psychological or material—will not disappear; at most, they may be alleviated, but they remain present, while support initiatives will become more limited,” said Roxana Molocea, coordinator of the Elderly Helpline project.

The Elderly Helpline – 0800 460 001 it can be called free of charge from Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 20:00, and on Saturday from 08:00 to 16:00. The line can also be accessed by people who wish to report abuse or a difficult situation involving an elderly person. Since the launch of the project in October 2015, over 41,000 telephone interactions have been recorded, initiated by nearly 8,100 unique callers. This service was awarded the Best Social Assistance Services Project in Romania at the 2019 Civil Society Gala.

Elderly Helpline it is supported in 2020 through funding from Hochland Romania and the Vodafone Romania Foundation, as well as through individual donations.

INFOGRAPHIC CALLS DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 16 – MAY 14, 2020