Toa Payoh / Regular / Senior Befrienders

About this Activity:

Visiting isolated seniors is crucial due to the on-going issue of senior isolation, leading to loneliness and adverse effects on mental health. Regular visits from volunteers provide companionship, stimulating social interaction, and serving as a positive emotional outlet. This not only alleviates loneliness but also fosters a sense of connection to the broader community, contributing to an improved quality of life for seniors. Such visits allow volunteers to identify specific needs and challenges, facilitating the connection of seniors to appropriate resources.

Visiting isolated seniors goes beyond addressing practical needs; it nurtures holistic well-being, strengthens human connections, and contributes to the development of a compassionate and supportive community.

Volunteers must be:

• Minimally 25 years old
• Able to converse well with seniors in Mandarin (preferred) or English and preferably in 1 other local dialect. 
• Experience in senior befriending is a bonus, but not necessary as guidance will be provided.
• Patient, polite, sensitive and respectful to the needs of seniors, and be able to discern appropriate conversation topics.
• Able to complete online feedback form within 24 hours after engagement with senior (applicable for phone/off-site befriending)
• Proactive, responsible and accountable for other minor tasks assigned.
• Should the volunteer be unwell, the volunteer will have to inform the staff-in-charge and not proceed on to volunteer until he/she is cleared.
• Able to commit for a minimum of 6-month period. 

Volunteers are expected to:

• Engage seniors via 2 face-to-face interaction and 2 phone calls per month minimally to prevent social isolation, monitor senior's well-being, and provide socioemotional support.
  • Exact dates/times of volunteer to be decided and agreed by both the staff in-charge and the volunteer. However, to promote familiarity and bonding between the senior and volunteer, volunteers are expected to be able to visit seniors on their own.

Attire: Appropriate T-shirt, long pants, and covered shoes

Exact location will be assigned once the volunteer passes the interview.