It’s no secret that older people can become isolated and lonely, especially as connections with relatives and friends fall away and losses of loved ones occur. Without regular social interaction, grief and depression may overwhelm a lonely senior, potentially causing serious harm. Years ago, Patrick Arbore, of the Institute on Aging in San Francisco, recognized the need to be present for such lonely seniors, well beyond the typical life-line available from conventional suicide-prevention hotlines. Arbore created the Friendship Line, which is now a 24 hour-a-day phone line where staff and trained volunteers are available to provide warm words and a friendly voice for any senior, nationwide, who is in need of human connection and comfort. The Friendship Line receives over 8,000 calls a month, and even has a service to initiate calls, just to check in on people who have previously called. Any time of any day, you can call 800-971-0016. To find out more, Read Here.