Do you need a listening ear?
If you are feeling lonely, worried or stressed and you need someone to talk to, Listening Ear might be able to help you.
Listening Ear is a free, confidential non-crisis helpline staffed by trained volunteers who are available 9am to 9pm seven days a week. Anyone can phone for a chat, without even giving their name if they don’t want to.
Many older people live on their own and may feel isolated, particularly now that COVID-19 precautions are limiting contact with others. It can make a huge difference just sharing your concerns with someone who understands where you are coming from.
According to Listening Ear President Georgie Wallace, ‘It’s a lonely world out there, particularly if you live by yourself or you’ve had a loss. It can be a great help to talk to a caring person who will validate your feelings and listen to you without judgement.’
Listening Ear was founded by psychiatrist Dr Paul Finlayson in 1979 as Dial-A-Mum. The service evolved into a broader helpline and the name was changed in 2019 to reflect this and drive their ongoing vision to help the entire community.
Georgie says that the helpline receives quite a few calls from older people. ‘They feel isolated, they are worried about detachment from their families and health issues, especially with COVID,’ she said. ‘Others are concerned about their children or grandchildren, or whether they have enough money.’
‘Older people tend to be more stoic generally than the younger generation, and more private, but you pick up between the lines. I had a woman call me recently to tell me that she had bought some new shoes, but it wasn’t hard to tell that she was lonely and just wanted someone to talk to.’
Listening Ear is also looking for more volunteers. The training is three mornings over three weeks, followed by at least one four-hour shift per week, initially with a mentor. Volunteers also meet fortnightly (currently by Zoom) to share their experiences.
The number for Listening Ear is 02 9477 6777. More information
Nov 2020
Council on the Ageing NSW