THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Her vacant apartment seemed to mirror the emptiness in Kamalamma’s life — the silence a constant reminder of her loneliness. Though it’s been 15 years since losing her partner, the ache still lingers. The 75-year-old’s children, settled abroad, call her regularly, but it’s not the same as sharing laughter and tears with someone who’s always present.
The maid’s visits provide the occasional respite, but Kamalamma’s heart yearns for a meaningful connection. Now, hope is on the horizon. The ‘Sallapam’ project, of the state social justice department, aims to bridge the gap between senior citizens like Kamalamma and the world outside.
Announced by Social Justice Minister R Bindu recently, the project envisages trained social workers to become ‘phone friends’ of senior citizens, offering them a listening ear, empathy, and companionship.
The plan is to integrate ‘Sallapam’ with the ‘Elderline’ helpline number — 14567 — for senior citizens so that tele-counsellors can follow up on those who need additional psycho-social support. “We receive close to 500 calls on Elderline every day and the priority has been tackling emergencies faced by senior citizens. However, there are a number of elderly people who call just to kill their loneliness. The Sallapam project is intended for them,” department director Arun S Nair told TNIE.
The department plans to rope in master of social work (MSW) students and provide them with training through the Elderline staff. The details of senior citizens who need psycho-social support will be directed to the student volunteers, who will in turn contact them once or twice a week based on their convenience.
The entire activity will be monitored by Elderline. “The project will be beneficial for both the elderly and the students. While the mental and emotional well-being of senior citizens will improve due to the frequent interaction with youngsters, students specialising in social work will also benefit as it provides them with practical experience,” the official explained.
Senior citizens constitute an estimated 16-18% of the state’s population and according to a United Nations report, it is poised to touch around 23% by 2036. According to healthcare experts, loneliness not only affects the mental health of the elderly but also brings down their immunity, making them prone to various ailments, besides affecting their memory.
“Studies have shown that social isolation is one of the three key factors leading to dementia among the elderly. Many of them also suffer from fear of abandonment and eventual death in isolation. A phone friend can help alleviate these anxieties to a great extent,” opined Arun B Nair, professor of psychiatry, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
Experts have also called for introduction of the ‘time-bank’ concept, practised in countries like Switzerland. Under the concept, people ‘deposit’ their time by assisting the elderly, with the understanding that they can later ‘withdraw’ that time when they need care themselves.