The elderly helpline also helps during coronavirus
The elderly helpline also helps during coronavirus
The Seniors' Helpline is helping even during the coronavirus outbreak
The Seniors' Helpline 800 200 007 is an anonymous and free telephone assistance service for seniors and people who care for them. During the coronavirus epidemic, it has significantly expanded its operations, providing information and support to seniors and their loved ones, as well as connecting them directly with volunteers. People with disabilities or serious illnesses who find themselves in a crisis situation and need the help of scout volunteers can also turn to the Helpline.
What does the Seniors' Helpline offer callers?
Every day, over fifty seniors now call for help with shopping for groceries, toiletries, or picking up medication. They are afraid to go out on their own and most of them do not have any protective equipment. We can put together a crisis plan if a senior is in trouble and doesn't know how to deal with it. We can help them calm down and regain their balance, provide relevant information and connect them with a specific service or assistance. The advantage of the Seniors' Helpline is that seniors can arrange everything over the phone; they don't need to know how to use the internet or have access to it.
Cooperating with the Czech Scouts
Seniors' Helpline staff take calls from seniors across the country who need help, and adult scouts can use a simple web application to sign up to help specific people in their area. The volunteers' identities are verified – they are all members of the Junák – český skaut organisation.
Contact Information
The free Seniors' Helpline 800 200 007 is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day with double staffing. Further assistance is also available by email at [email protected] or via the elinka.internetporadna.cz chat.
About Elpida
Elpida (meaning 'hope' in Greek) is the name of an organisation that has been helping seniors remain self-confident and respected members of society since 2002. It runs educational and cultural centres for active seniors from all over Prague (the Elpida Centre in Prague 4 and Přístav 7 in Prague 7) and the Seniors' Helpline 800 200 007. It publishes the lifestyle magazine Vital, which is not just for seniors. It carries out a number of unique intergenerational projects and cultural events and, in the spirit of the motto 'Old is Cool', has long striven for a positive perception of seniors and old age in our society. It also founded the brand Ponožky od babičky (Socks from Grandma) to support the grandmothers who knit them and the operation of the Elpida Centre for other seniors through their sale.
It has extensive experience in creating educational, social and activation programmes for seniors and older adults and strives to find innovative and engaging ways for their active involvement. It has experience in organising a number of social and cultural events that focus on intergenerational cooperation. The professionalism of the team, Elpida's unique position among senior citizens' organisations, and the social and media response to all its activities ensure 100% credibility.
Project Sponsor
KATEŘINA BOHATÁ is a psychologist who has dedicated 18 years to the Seniors' Helpline, which she helped to create and now leads. She is a capable manager who can ensure the perfect operation of the Seniors' Helpline even in unusual situations under a huge influx of callers, training, leading and continuously coaching the team, coming up with improvements that help those in need. She is the co-author of the professional methodological publication Proměny krizové intervence (Transformations of Crisis Intervention) for workers of crisis helplines and centres, published in 2019.
Specifications
Project goal
Location of assistance
Charity
Field of assistance
Basic
| Code: | NEZ00065 |