Please note, NC is a pseudonym given to the client for data protection reasons.
NC was referred to Connect Newham by Community Links and was requested to be put on a 10-week support plan. NC is an elderly client who lived alone with limited mobility. They previously received similar support from Age UK and had found that it was helpful for their mental health. Lately, they have been feeling frustrated with themselves which impacted their mood and made them feel low and helpless.
We matched the client with a Befriender, where they always ended the call with a thank you and expressing how they had missed talking to others. NC has no family but enjoys talking about close friends in the past. They cherish their memories and hold on to them very dearly.
NC has a rollator which they use once in a while when doing some errands outside. They rarely go out and prefer to stay at home. They shared with the Befriender that they fear to step out of their home, incase they have a trip and hurt themselves. They spoke about past stories, and how they had experienced a very bad fall which caused a lot of injury and bruises. They cannot seem to forget about that day; it is one of the reasons why they do not go outside as often.
The Befriender introduced them to Connect Newham’s Activity Buddy service and reassured the client that we can accompany them with an in-person volunteer, who can take them out for local walks. NC was hesitant and was not ready to go ahead. They were surprised such service existed and had requested we put them on the waiting list. They were enjoying the calls and wanted to continue with this for the meantime.
The client’s mood score has rapidly increased through the support plan, from “I feel ok” to “I feel good”.
They have shown how vital it is to speak to someone occasionally and engage in conversations, to improve their mental state.
