Top Needs of Seniors Who Contacted the Elderly Helpline in 2022 – INFOGRAPHIC
- Over 13,000 phone calls registered by the Elderly Helpline in 2022
- 2,500 unique/new callers contacted the Elderly Helpline for guidance and counseling
- 59% of callers live alone, and 50% are from rural areas or small towns
- Access to information and practical support ranked highest among expressed needs
In 2022, the Elderly Helpline, the only national, free telephone line dedicated to seniors, operated by the Royal Margareta of Romania Foundation, recorded 13,001 phone conversations with 2.485 seniors who benefited from information, counseling, guidance, material, or emotional support. Of all callers, 50% came from rural areas and small towns, 32% were aged between 70 and 80, and 59% stated that they live alone.
Romania’s Aging Population – Alarming Figures!
Romania’s population includes 3.72 million elderly people (65+), representing 19.2% of the total population, according to provisional data from the 2021 national census.
Romania is facing a rapid aging of its population. It is estimated that by 2050, elderly people will represent almost one third of the population (27.7%), while the proportion of those aged 80+ will increase from the current 4.8% to 8.5%, according to a recent analysis by the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity. This occurs against the backdrop of negative net external migration, low birth rates, and increasing life expectancy.
Elderly Helpline, a map of social services and a counseling center for elderly people.
Established seven years agoin response to population aging, Elderly Helpline social service maps the needs faced by Romania’s seniors based on requests expressed by over 15,000 unique callers, beneficiaries of the programfrom all regions of the country. Burdened by worries, fears, material deprivation, poor health, loneliness, and marginalization, seniors call the free number 0800 460 001 to find comfort, guidance, social counseling, psychological counseling, as well as practical and material assistance.
In 2022, Elderly Helpline was answered with dedication by a team of 4 full-time social workers, 15 volunteers involved in weekly follow-up calls, and 5 volunteer psychologists, all offering solutions to the existential challenges of later life.
Once again in 2023, reason for calling the helpline is the need to obtain useful, and trustworthy information that is not accessible to all seniors. Seniors’ limited ability to access information through modern means, adapt to an increasingly technology - driven communication society, as well as social isolation, marginalization, and discrimination against older people, combined with the migration of younger families in recent years, represent the main causes. 1,047 seniors requested relevant information and contacts tailored to their specific situations, provided by the helpline’s specialized team of social workers, who operate a database containing over 450 public and private institutions offering services dedicated to seniors. In this context Elderly Helpline has become a source of up-to-date information for seniors, easily and freely accessible.
In 2022, the need for care and practical support at home has second among among the reasons for calling. In Romania, there is a significant proportion of elderly people, especially those over 80 years old, who require long-term specialized services such as personal care, medical assistance, household help, or support with purchasing groceries or medication. For 695 callers Elderly Helpline provided information about available services, referrals to elderly care homes and institutionalization procedures, community resources, as well as recommendations for institutions offering specialized medical care at home. Given insufficient public funding and the limited number of accredited services, unevenly distributed between rural and urban areas, access to social and medical services for elderly people remains inadequate.
Third in the ranking of calls were financial and material support. Approximately 613,000 elderly pensioners had a pension below 1,111 lei at the end of last year which means an income below the minimum decent living standard, according to data from the National House of Public Pensions, cited by CNPV. At Elderly Helpline546 such requests were registered, and seniors were referred to community social assistance services operated by local public authorities or NGOs in order to receive personalized and ongoing support. In addition, the Foundation resolved some cases by supporting seniors facing precarious living conditions with social vouchers, hygiene supplies, and essential goods.
130 seniors who called Elderly Helpline for the first time in 2022 were seeking emotional support, dealing with loneliness and current social or Callers were referred to NGOs offering specialized services in their communities. A total of 275 seniors benefited from psychological counseling and emotional support through weekly follow-up calls from the Foundation’s social workers, volunteers, and psychologists.
Feelings of uselessness overwhelm many elderly people who have limited opportunities for social participation after retirement. For 100 seniors who expressed a desire to remain active,, Elderly Helpline provided information about community volunteering opportunities, such as Generații Centers, and encouraged participation in activities organized by senior clubs, predominantly located in urban areas. Social interaction and socialization are also possible through participation in Senior TeleClubs, where seniors have the opportunity to connect and discuss topics of shared interest, moderated by a social worker or volunteer.
At The Elderly Helpline, seniors receive targeted, practical, and up-to-date information and find solutions to the diverse problems they face. Calls can be made to 0800 460 001, , Monday to Friday between 08:00–20:00, and Saturday between 08:00–16:00.
Elderly Helpline is a social project funded in 2022 by the Vodafone Romania Foundation, Romanian National Lottery, Johnson & Johnson Romania (Janssen Romania), and S.C. Johnson Wax.
