Befriending

Coronavirus Pandemic

Home-assessment visits to the client by a member of staff have been suspended. Our befrienders continue to provide support to clients by telephone.

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Befriending is when a volunteer visits an older person to chat, listen and become a friend in their own home. 

At first contact, a member of our team will visit the older person to ascertain hobbies and interests. A volunteer with similar interests is matched. Volunteers will visit weekly to chat and socialise.

Those with needs beyond Age UK Dacorum’s remit will be signposted to organisations who can help.

The service is free.

Maria, a volunteer befriender, explains how she regularly visits Barbara, how this benefits her and why the befriending scheme is so important.

Who is the service for?

We provide friendship and support for older people who are lonely, bereaved, isolated or housebound.  Individuals living on their own are eligible to be considered for our befriending service.

Research shows that contact with volunteers as part of a social action befriending service appears to significantly improve the quality of life for people in their last years of life.

Referrals

Referrals can be made from individuals, family friends, neighbours and professionals. 

Who are our volunteers?

Our volunteers come from all walks of life but are all carefully selected and screened before they visit anyone (including a full police DBS check). We always try to match our volunteers to older people who have similar interests and outlooks. The same person will visit each time so that a trusting relationship can be built over time.

Contact

To volunteer as a befriender, make a referral or for further information please contact:

Befriending News