Wellington (Tuesday 26 September 2023) – Loneliness is the number one reason seniors call Age Concern and Tom and Betty are the faces of this years’ impacting appeal message. Ageing should not mean waiting by a quiet phone longing to share a chat and a cup of tea with a friend.

“The messaging behind this appeal is confronting. That’s because it’s real,” Age Concern Wellington Region CEO Stephen Opie says. “Everyone knows a ‘Betty’ or a ‘Tom’ - perhaps in their own family or living in their street. Loneliness for seniors is a real and very serious issue, and our annual appeal this year is designed to bring this to light and get people talking about it.”

At Age Concern people like Tom and Betty call every day. A dedicated team of staff and volunteers work to create meaningful connections through the Visitor, Phone Friend, Connect and Companion Walking Services. These are designed to meet the needs of the older person and provide much appreciated human contact.

Delivery of these services requires recruitment and training of key staff and volunteers. Whilst some of this is funded through local and central government the aim for this appeal is to highlight the sad truth of loneliness and ask for the public to support this valuable work for older people in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

Loneliness has a serious impact on physical and mental health. Research shows loneliness increases the risk of developing serious mental health conditions like dementia and can shorten lifespan. Age Concern brings people together across generations, places and culture working to create lasting connections that help end loneliness for seniors.

You can help support our Region’s seniors today by visiting aged2perfection.nz

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