Connected

Older people are, and feel, connected to the Good Morning Community and in turn, connected to their wider community.

"My life has inevitably slowed down, but Good Morning has helped me feel re-connected to life as it used to be. My children live abroad, old friends are mostly no longer alive and so I find that Good Morning has opened up a lovely new world for me."
Dorothy, 86 years

"As I seldom don't leave the house I feel I am part of a small community. The team helps me keep positive on bad pain days."
Jean, 72 years

"They're my community because I don't get out too often. The staff let us know about things happening, things no-one else thinks to tell me about. And they care about you. I can speak to them about things I can't tell anyone else.They're so easy to talk to, so caring."
Elizabeth, 74 years

"I live my life differently because of it. It gives me some prompting to get on with life."
Janet, 64 years

Safer

Older people are, and feel, safer knowing that potential health problems will be alerted to if they fail to answer their pre-arranged Good Morning Call.

"Knowing Good Morning are there should I need them makes life easy."
Mhairi, 97 years

"Sometimes you don't want to say to your family how you feel, but you can always tell Good Morning. I can depend on that phone call every day and feel safer knowing that someone is always there."
Ella, 85 years

"If it wasn't for you then I'd never have known Mum was in trouble that day. You're a lifesaver!"
Daughter

"I know I'm in good hands if anything happens to me. It definitely makes me feel better about living alone it's my house, my memories are in this house."
Margaret, 64 years

"The warm hearted conversations make me feel good and I like knowing that somebody is looking out for me and is on hand to help in an emergency, it's security."
Client, 74 years

Valued

Older people are, and feel, valued because trusting relationships are built. Befrienders know clients very well, are considered friends while some call befrienders their family.

"It makes you live your life because you are never really on your own. They make me feel like a person – not an old woman. I can discuss things like politics and keep in touch with the world – they just keep me going."
Charlotte, 94 years

"The best thing is that when the phone rings you are right in contact with a friend. You feel a special person."
Helen, 83 years

"I'm not too well in the morning but when the phone rings and they say 'hello', it is a better tonic right away than all the tablets I swallow."
Ann, 86 years

Confident to live independently

"Living in my own home means a lot to me, Good Morning helps give me that choice as I know they're looking out for me. It's like having an extended family. The mornings are the loneliest part of the day, as I am a very early riser, so I look forward to that call."
Annie, 80 years

"It gives reassurance that someone will be in touch every morning to check I'm ok. I'm happy to live on my own because of it."
Margaret, 89 years

"I'm fine about living myself because when I took a hypo during the night, if they hadn't told my sister about me not answering, I could've just slipped away. She wasn't due up for another week so there you go."
Nora, 81 years

Telephone or Visitor?

Clients took part in an external study "Living actively and independently in later life: How can we prevent social isolation?" by NHS Health Improvement Team and Social Work Services Community Older Persons Team in 2010.

Results showed how members preferred befriending by phone due to:

• the non-intrusive nature of a telephone call
• having control of the telephone call

Postal evaluations each year have reinforced this message: people prefer telephone contact.




To donate £5 text GMSC001 to 70970 Thank you.

Your donation will be processed and administered by the National Funding Scheme, operating as DONATE. Texts will be charged at your standard network rate. For Terms & Conditions, see www.easydonate.org

High impact

In year 2022/23, 153 clients responded to our evaluation questionnaire. Scaling used: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Don't know, Agree and Strongly Agree and an open section for comments. We’re very humbled by what they said.

How have we made a difference?

A - 99% feel less lonely and/or isolated
“I certainly don’t feel isolated or lonely since I started getting my calls, I feel like a different person because of them. They care about people, and I feel we’ve been friends for many years.” Joe, 88 years

“I feel known because they’re interested. You are made to feel important and that makes me feel good. The calls make me put in the effort to get up and start the day. Knowing that you’ll contact my family if I can’t get to the phone means I’m safer too. You could do no better.” Ishbel, 92 years

B - 99% have better self-confidence and self-esteem
“Every call boosts my confidence as I can be quite negative about myself and my ability to do things around the house. The team encourage me to do things for myself, and, I realised I’m stronger than I think.” Eleanor, 66 years

“There is so much connection with the team. It makes me feel worthy of myself. I can’t explain how beautiful you make me feel.” Shareha

C - 99% have improved well-being and resilience
“Normally I don’t speak to anyone. I always say to my psychiatrist this service keeps me alive. It boosts me and I find that life-saving. Helps me in every way. Helps me in my journey and my mental health.” Ann

“I’ve never looked back since my doctor referred me for depression. You’re always there, you always care. Your help has made me think more positively about life. Before Good Morning I didn’t want to live but now I enjoy every day. I’ve never looked back since I joined.” Albert, 73 years

D - 99% feel safer at home
“I’m so grateful to them because they alerted my neighbour when I didn’t answer my phone, and she came round and helped me up. It’s a wonderful service, I feel very secure because of it.” Mary, 80 years

“Knowing you’re at the end of the line is great, I feel supported and safer. That’s a big deal when you’re my age. This is the best service for older folk like me. It’s not intrusive like many services.” Dennis, 82 years

E - 99% feel cared about
“I feel more positive about myself since joining because I feel valued by people who I’ve come to value very much over the past 2 years. I feel I’ve a strong group of people who are ‘on my side’. This makes me feel stronger and more confident in my own ability to cope in everyday life situations – to not get worn down by what life can throw at me.” Kathy, 77 years

“They’re like a cross between the Samaritans and a best friend”. Clare, 73 years

F - 99% are better informed and connected
“My Calls mean that I’m part of society because I’ve no family or friends left, and I’ve lived alone for 20-odd years but I don’t want to live without your service. It’s a lifeline in many, many ways. They pick me up on down days.” Jim, 78 years

“Very genuine people who make me feel I still have value as a human being. They’re a comfort blanket. They connect me to the outside world. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t know what’s going on. Their regular calls keep me carrying on. Make me keen to keep on coping with some independence. They mean a lot to an old widower.” John, 89 years

G - 99% feel better able to retain their independence
“It helps me live in my own house and go to my clubs because they give me encouragement and confidence to go out and be independent at my age. I owe Good Morning such a lot. Because of them I’m still going out and enjoying life. You’re all good friends and family. I can get things off my chest, sort things out and I feel better afterwards.” Agnes, 82 years

“I’m 95, life can be difficult at times. When I got out of hospital your calls kept my chin up and kept me moving forward. Being independent means a lot to me and speaking to someone and getting their advice means a lot. I’m safer with this service.” Anna, 95 years