Town offers free telephone programs as part of Community Wellness initiative: Ensures supportive connections are accessible to everyone

Since the outset of the pandemic, the Friendship Centre has recognized the importance of accessible programming for everyone in the community. The Centre’s telephone programs ensure that residents who do not use the internet can still make meaningful connections with others.  

 “When things shut down last year, we got creative” says Hillary Bennett, Senior Services Program Coordinator at the Friendship Centre. “The team began delivering activities virtually, first through Facebook Live, and eventually through Zoom. But, we noticed a need to reach residents who do not use the internet, and we were inspired to design programs that could be offered exclusively through the telephone.”

The Friendship Centre rapidly rolled out the free telephone programming in April 2020, with the mission of supporting seniors experiencing isolation, technological barriers, transportation difficulties and vision impairment.

The program schedule has now grown to include seated fitness classes, museum lectures, short stories, travelogues and reassurance calls. Socially oriented phone activities such as knit and chat, men’s coffee, trivia and games and more recently, recipe sharing are also very popular, often leading participants to reminisce as they talk with others of the same age.

One participant enthusiastically exclaims, “I look forward to every phone program, but especially Friday Fun every Friday at 11:00 a.m. We have so many laughs together. It’s a great way to feel connected to others since I live alone and don’t have the technology to stay connected online.”

 “The program’s success is the result of many factors," Bennett explains. “The offerings help create meaning and purpose for people during a confusing and challenging time. Using the phone is a highly social activity, and conversations stimulate thought, help people meet old friends and make new ones, and support mental, physical and emotional wellness.”

St. Marys resident Allan Slater, a regular participant, comments on what the programs mean for him. “I live in an ideal situation in my own apartment with other family members nearby. But I am lonesome. I miss the companionship of my wife and friends in the community. I look forward to the telephone programs because they give me an opportunity to chat with other people, and use my brain a bit.”

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from telephone programs, contact the Friendship Centre at 519-284-3272 for schedules and easy-to-follow instructions. Or visit the Town’s website at https://bit.ly/3rliPP7 and click on the Friendship Centre’s latest newsletter and calendar.

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For media inquiries:

Katherine Moffat, Corporate Communications Specialist
519-284-2340, ext. 429 | kmoffat@town.stmarys.on.ca