What is the Visiting Service?
The Age Concern Visiting Service is a befriending service that matches older people who are lonely or socially isolated with volunteers who are keen to spend time getting to know them. The volunteers are police-checked and trained, and spend about an hour each week sharing conversation and activities with their older friend. Some visits take place in the client’s home, and some involve going out together. Matches are made carefully, on the basis of personality, shared interests, cultural needs, and location, and are regularly reviewed.
Would you like more company?
If you are feeling lonely, or would just like more social contact, it’s important to do something about it, and Age Concern can help. Our Visiting Service is a befriending service that provides regular visits to older people who would like more company. Our visitors are volunteers who are keen to spend time with an older person for about an hour each week to enjoy conversation and shared interests and activities.
Most, but not all Age Concerns have a Visiting Service, however, all Age Concerns can tell you about social activities and services for older people in your area. You can check out our "Would you like more company?" brochure for more information.
Do you have time for older people?
Regular visits can make a real difference to an older person’s health and happiness, and our volunteers tell us that they really enjoy and benefit from, their role. If you would like to spend time with an older person, and have an hour or so a week to spare, contact national office for more information or contact your local Age Concern to become a volunteer visitor.
You can check out our "Do you have time for older people?" brochure for more information.
Do you know an older person who needs more company?
Contact your local Age Concern to make a referral.
Research on loneliness
You can read more about the research done into loneliness and isolation on our Loneliness Research page.