• Over 66,000 calls and more than 12,000 unique callers to the Elderly Helpline in 6 years of operation
• Among the top needs of seniors: useful information and care and support services for dependent seniors

The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation and Enayati Medical City celebrated the International Day of Older Persons by organizing the national conference “Best Practices for a Beautiful Old Age”, broadcast online on September 30, 2021. The event brought together national and international speakers and professionals in the field of ageing, eager to share and learn about the latest solutions to improve the lives of Romania’s 3.8 million seniors. The population ageing phenomenon continues to grow, with the demographic ageing index reaching 123.9 elderly persons per 100 young people in January 2021.

During the conference, the study “The Top Needs of the Elderly in Romania and the Solutions Available to Them” was launched, based on the processing of data collected through the the Elderly Helpline project.  The only national, free and confidential helpline dedicated to seniors is operated by The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation and was launched in September 2015 with the support of Vodafone Romania Foundation, as a response to population ageing and the needs of the elderly. Over its 6 years of operation, the social helpline registered more than 66,000 calls from seniors across the country. Of the 12,000 unique callers, nearly 5,000 live in Bucharest, 45% live alone, and 27% are aged between 70 and 80.

The requests expressed by seniors during this period to the Elderly Helpline fell into five main categories of needs: 1. Useful and up-to-date information, 2. Care and practical support depending on the level of dependency, 3. Emotional and psychological support, 4. Material or financial assistance, 5. The need to stay active and participate in social life.

The helpline is most frequently accessed to obtain useful, practical, and up-to-date information regarding various needs of callers (4,834 people). Limited access to information is caused by social isolation and discrimination against the elderly, the migration of young families in recent years, as well as the lack of skills or modern means of information in an increasingly digital society. The largest number of information requests came from Bucharest (1,937), while the fewest came from Banat (195) and Dobrogea (182). Elderly Helpline provided contact details, addresses, opening hours, procedures, and information about resources available in local communities.

The need for care and practical support ranks second in this top. Requests from seniors of advanced age or poor health, or from their relatives, were specific and tailored to the level of dependency. Nearly 3,500 people received guidance on how to access or obtain: specialized medical information and services, home care or household support, specialized supervision, accompaniment to various activities, help with shopping, information about residential care centers for the elderly, and the institutionalization procedure.

The pandemic has intensified the difficult situations many seniors face and has created new ones. Over the 6 years of operation, 2,139 requests for financial or material support were recorded, more than half of them in the past year alone. To address these issues, the elderly were referred to social canteens and organizations from which they received regular food packages or social vouchers.

Two of the problems that worsened over the past year are loneliness and social isolation. Elderly Helpline responded to the need for emotional support for more than 1,000 seniors in this situation through its own psychological counseling services and weekly follow-up calls for those affected by loneliness, or by referral to partner organizations.

A total of 736 of the elderly who called the Elderly Helpline between 2015–2021 expressed their desire to remain active and engaged in social life after retirement. Guided by the social helpline team, they took part in community volunteering activities and activities organized in senior clubs which, during the pandemic, adapted their programs to the new socio-sanitary conditions.

The Elderly Helpline can be contacted free of charge at 0800 460 001, Monday to Friday between 08:00–20:00 and Saturday between 08:00–16:00.

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Partners: Enayati Medical City, Medic Hub

Sponsors: Fundația Vodafone România, Hochland România, Raiffeisen Bank, Kaufland România #ÎnStaredeBine, Johnson & Johnson România, Compania Națională Loteria Română, Metropolitan Life,  Johnson Wax, Adobe, Sofmedica, City Grill.

Media Partners: Alphega Farmacie, Sănătatea buzoiană, Farmacia Ta și Galenus.

About The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation

Founded in 1990 by Her Majesty Margareta together with her father, King Michael, The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation supports children, young people, and the elderly through sustainable interventions based on the exchange of experience and values between generations. With over 31 years of experience, the Foundation supports the elderly through programs aimed at improving their quality of life, involving volunteers and mobilizing institutional partners and the entire community. Its most recent initiatives include the Elderly Helpline, the Fund for the Elderly, and the Generations Centers. More details at: fundatiaregala.ro/.

About Enayati Medical City

Enayati Medical City is the first medical city built in Romania after 1989—an integrated medical ecosystem bringing together elite healthcare providers to offer the best possible solutions for integrated oncology care and elderly care. Enayati Medical City combines, for the first time, an integrated oncology and rehabilitation center (with all necessary functions) and a center for elderly care. It aims to serve as a model of best practice. More details at: https://enayatimedicalcity.ro/