Omega, the National Association for End of Life Care

Omega received an award of£100,000 over three years in 2019 to support the Chatterbox: Action Against Loneliness programme. The programme is designed to support those who are lonely and isolated due to their caring role, bereavement, age, or life-limiting and end of life challenges.

The Chatterbox Action Against Loneliness Programme provides a solution to those who would benefit from having someone to talk to, someone willing to listen, someone neutral, but someone who understands that life is not always easy. Each beneficiary receives one call a week from a trained volunteer befriender, who will lend an ear to anything they may wish to chat about.

The oldest Omega beneficiary is 99, whilst the oldest befriending volunteer is 105! Well over one third of beneficiaries have multiple complex health conditions, and the majority of those supported have also been bereaved.

Beneficiaries reach the service through NHS referrals; almost half have been diagnosed with mental health conditions. The support Omega provides is specialist and person-centred, as beneficiaries often need a little encouragement to accept help. On average, clients experience a 25% rise in their emotional wellbeing as a result of partaking in the Chatterbox programme.

To learn more about Chatterbox and other Omega programmes, please click here.