In a world that seems to be yammering at us from every direction—TV, radio, Internet, blogs, texts—all they do is listen.
They’re the volunteers for Senior Connect, the American version of an Irish organization called Senior Help Line, founded in 1998 by Mary Nally, chairperson of Third Age Foundation, an organization run for and by older people in Summerhill, County Meath. Its patron is Ireland’s President Mary McAleese.
This unique service, aimed at providing the lonely with someone to chat with on the phone, has been operating out of New York’s Irish centers for about a year. Now, there’s a toll-free number—1-877-997-5777—that opens up the service to the rest of the country.
“We’re fairly sure there’s a demand for it,” says Alan Farrelly, Ireland’s vice consul in New York. “There are a lot of Irish dispersed around the country with no access to an Irish organization where they can meet other Irish people. If they’re feeling lonely and just want to talk to an Irish person, this is an alternative.”
Farrelly admits that some personal experiences he’s had on the job suggest it’s an idea that could take off. “I’ve gotten calls from people who call, ostensibly with a visa question, but don’t really want anything. They were lonely and just wanted to call for a chat. You know how Irish people like to talk,” he laughed.
Dialing Senior Connect might put you in touch with Margaret Fogarty, a 73-year-old great-grandmother from County Kerry, but a resident of Woodlawn in the Bronx since 1954. She underwent weeks of training last year at New York’s Emerald Isle Center to prepare her to be a good listener. In a way, she says, she acts like a virtual “cup of tea.”
“When people go to the Irish center there’s always a cup of tea going on,” she says. “So many people don’t have that. So they call us just to chat.”
The service is confidential—the volunteers don’t ask any personal questions or record the calls. “We don’t know their names or where they live,” she says. “We don’t want to know. We do become friends on the phone and will give them numbers for other services if they need it, but really we’re just there to listen.”
She’s gotten calls from seniors who are isolated in many ways—they’re snowed in, haven’t gotten the expected phone call or visit from their families, have recently lost a spouse. “One woman called because she hadn’t heard from her daughter and she didn’t understand why. She said, ‘They have time to go out to eat.’ And I just said, oh, you know, children are much busier today then they were when we were raising children. I bet your grandchildren are involved in soccer, lacrosse, field hockey—and she said yes. I told her, I know your daughter loves you to death, and she went off that phone feeling happy and I was happy. I knew. When mine were young they were involved in Irish dancing so we were everywhere.”
The Senior Connect project recently received $40,000 from the Irish Government’s Emigrant Support Program to take it nationwide. The toll free number (1-877-997-5777) operates throughout the US and connects to the Emerald Isle’s Bronx office and the New York Irish Center where the volunteers operate the service. The hours of operation are Monday and Friday 4 – 6 pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 4 – 8 pm.
Someone like Margaret Fogarty is waiting for your call. “I hope it takes off because I really enjoy it,” she says. “It’s important for people to know that they matter, to feel like you’re really listening to what they’re saying and that you’re feeling for them. And I do.”