Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

For many elderly folks, a call from a friend or an acquaintance once or twice a week can make a big difference in how they feel. Knowing that someone cares and is there to share stories and laugh with is comforting and meaningful in so many ways. The Volunteer Lethbridge Keep in Touch program connects people in our community with each other through a weekly telephone support system linking seniors to a friendly person with whom to chat and access resource information they may need.   Arguable, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major increase in loneliness and mental health issues, especially among seniors, and therefore more demand for programs such as Keep in Touch. The speaker will describe how the Keep in Touch program was developed by Volunteer Lethbridge. After successfully piloting the program in Lethbridge with funding from the COVID-19 Mental Health and Addiction Community Fund, the program is now gaining partners in other Alberta cities and rural communities.   Speaker: Connie-Marie Riedlhuber   Con