Seniors find security on the phone line

By Bridget Brady
CRANBOURNE’S senior citizens have praised a free register set up to monitor their safety and well-being.
They say the regular calls volunteers make to check-up on them have become a welcome addition to their lives.
The Cranbourne Police Senior Citizen’s Register was established in November last year to check the safety of seniors who may be isolated, live alone, or not have family. There are more than 100 seniors who have joined.
Volunteers make regular phone calls to seniors who have joined to check the status of their welfare.
Cranbourne resident Valerie Donaldson, 69, said the register was a wonderful idea for someone like her who has a medical condition. “I am a social person but I can’t join senior citizens or something like that because of my lack of ability to drive,” Ms Donaldson said. “The volunteers have been a delight. They ring once or twice a week and are so caring and friendly and I have a feeling they know most of my intimate details. It’s become part of my life and I look forward to the volunteers calling.”
Gwen Benson, 74, said she wanted to join because, although she line danced and regularly saw people, she lived alone.
“I feel it’s beneficial because from an afternoon until the next morning I’m on my own and it’s nice to have someone check up on you. It can get lonely, too.
“I feel that if anything happened I could call them.” Volunteer Ivan Swain calls seniors who are on the register and said they all appreciated the contact.
“Some sit by the phone waiting for the calls and some last as long as 20 minutes,” Mr Swain said.
“You can chat away, which is nice for those who say they do not have many people they can open up to.”
A social outing on 16 April to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne is planned for those on the register.
Co-ordinator Greta Radnetter said she wanted volunteers to eventually make house calls to people on the register.
To join the register call the Cranbourne Police Station on 5991 0600.