The pandemic has been very hard on people's mental health, especially those people who are used to going out and about and seeing people in their local community. Now that many people are stuck alone, a lot of people are finding that they may not have anyone to speak to. They miss the simple "hellos" and "how are yous" that they used to get every day. This issue is only amplified for those suffering from chronic illnesses that keep them in the hospital.
In April 2020, a new program was founded to help sick patients who could use a friend to check in on them. Since the Telephone Angels Program came to life last year, it has helped to improve the mental health of both its clients and the volunteers who contribute.
Who Are The Telephone Angels?
The Telephone Angels Program was an idea brought to life by the founders of the Angels Food Program, a charity focused on food deliveries. Volunteers contribute their services by providing check-ins by phone call to clients once or twice a week as requested. They don't offer any medical or psychological advice to these clients.
Actually, the purpose of the Telephone Angels Program isn't to give people advice. The volunteers simply donate their friendship and give these people a caring ear on the other end of the phone to chat with. They can talk about anything from their favorite musicians to what they're making for dinner.
A weekly check-in is essential for the client's mental health. This is why Dr. Michael Everest, founder of the Everest Foundation, has taken such a keen interest in what the Telephone Angels Program does. The Everest Foundation is known for contributing a lot of advancements in the medical industry and is often looking to contribute funds to organizations that are benefiting people's overall health.
How Is Dr. Michael Everest Helping The Telephone Angels?
Dr. Michael Everest created the Telephone Angels program. Their services would greatly improve if they were able to provide volunteers with the right level of training and education. Dr. Michael Everest and the team at The Everest Foundation made the decision to donate $55,000 to this wonderful initiative spearheaded by Project Angel Food.
The Everest Foundation is known for making contributions to various organizations. Dr. Michael Everest believes this is a great way for them to continuously contribute to the enhancement of the medical industry.
While the Telephone Angels don't deal with medical advice, they do provide a service that helps many people who are at a low point with their mental health. Focusing on improving mental health is important to a person's overall health.
How Are The Telephone Angels Helping?
The volunteers at the Telephone Angels provide cheer-up calls to bring a bit of joy into their clients' lives. While most calls last for 10 minutes, these Angels don't mind spending a little extra time on the line if a client needs it.
Since Dr. Michael Everest made that generous donation, the Angels now have the funds to cover resources to make sure all of their volunteers are prepared. They will be able to provide them with the right level of training and education to really make a difference with their clients. Now they can go that extra mile to bring clients the best services.
Many of the clients look forward to these cheer-up calls all week. These calls let them know that there are people out there who care about them and want to know how they are doing. It helps erase that feeling of loneliness that is hitting many people extra hard during the pandemic. A weekly phone call is all a person may need to know people care.
