Older People, Active Lives

As the days get shorter, if you have limited mobility or don’t tend to get out much in the winter, you may be dreading the long days alone at home.

You don’t need to sit it out alone though! If you are over 60 and live in West Lothian, there is a local befriending service available to you. Having someone to talk to can make all the difference, perhaps especially if you are just out of hospital, or recently bereaved, and your family are not close by.

The Cyrenians is a charity delivering a range of services, one of which is called “Older People, Active Lives” (OPAL). They want to make sure that no one is feeling isolated and alone, and can offer companionship at home as well as help with getting out to activities in the community – not just in the winter, but any time of the year.

You don’t need to go through a particular referral process, as you can self-refer. If you are feeling lonely, simply pick up the phone and give them a call. In fact, telephone befriending is something they offer, if you would benefit from a regular blether on the phone!

They also provide support from a befriender who would be matched with you for up to nine months, to enjoy activities from a chat at home over a cuppa, to going out for a walk, shopping, a wee trip to a garden centre, or accompanying you to one of Cyrenian’s social groups for older people - whatever is best for you. It may be that you just need someone to help you with a confidence boost with getting out and about and back into routine after a hospital stay.

If you have on-going mobility or isolation issues, a longer-term befriender may be available too.

OPAL runs a series of social groups in West Lothian, with activities such as “Nibble and Natter”, “Singing for health” in partnership with Xcite Aging Well and general activity groups for you to get together with other people in the community on a regular basis. The groups cost £1 to attend and are available for anyone over 60.

“We want people to be able to enjoy living independently in their own homes for as long as possible,” explains Lorna Bryson, Volunteer Coordinator at Cyrenians in Bathgate. “Our services make that more possible by making sure people have a social “safety net” in their lives. Some of our clients are people who have moved into the area later in life in order to be nearer family, but they don’t know anyone and everything may be unfamiliar. An OPAL befriender can help orient them, introduce them to local groups, get library membership sorted and other practical things to set them up for a full and independent social life.”

If you would like to meet a befriender and keep your social life going, the Cyrenians OPAL Older People Active Lives team would be delighted to hear from you! Please contact the team on:

Tel.: 01506 815815 Website; www.cyrenians.scot Facebook: OPALCyrenians Cyrenians is a SCIO, registered charity SC011052

This article was written by Helen-Jane Shearer after visiting Cyrenians OPAL team in Bathgate. Helen-Jane is the editor of Konect magazines and lives in West Lothian with her family.