New macular befriending service on offer

Ernie Kyle, leader of the Coleraine Macular Society Support Group, is calling on anyone with macular disease in Northern Ireland to make use of the service to help ease any increased feelings of loneliness and isolation they may be experiencing following the coronavirus outbreak.

The call comes after the Society was awarded a £40,000 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund to help provide an increased range of remote services in Northern Ireland, including telephone befriending, while social distancing measures remain in place.

Telephone befrienders provide a regular phone call, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and rebuild confidence and independence. The Macular Society aims to match users with a befriender who shares common interests and experiences, or understands exactly what living with macular disease is like.

Ernie said: “Macular disease can be a cruel and isolating condition at any time, but for someone who is shielding during the coronavirus outbreak and isn’t having face-to-face contact with anyone, it can be extremely challenging.

“The Macular Society’s befriending service offers people with macular disease an opportunity to have regular interaction with someone who can provide a reassuring presence and a friendly ear. Our befrienders have macular conditions themselves, so they truly know what the person they’re speaking to is experiencing. But it’s also entirely user-driven and the calls don’t have to focus on sight loss – if you want to talk to someone with similar hobbies or interests, the Society will do everything it can to find a befriender who’ll be a suitable match for you.”

One person already benefiting from using the service in Northern Ireland is Joan Carr. Joan, 87, who lives in County Antrim, currently receives a call from her befriender once a week.

She said: “I clicked straight away with the lady that rings me. I do look forward very much to the calls and hearing her voice. I often apologise to her actually, because we can lose track of time nattering away, and the calls will go on for a long time! We usually speak every fortnight, but while we’ve been in lockdown, she’s been calling me once a week and that’s been really wonderful.

“I’d definitely encourage anyone who’s interested in receiving a call to contact the Macular Society, just having that familiar voice on the other end of the phone does make a big difference.” For more information, call 0300 3030 111 or visit macularsociety.org/telephone-befriending