Everyone needs to know that they matter to someone.

Everyone needs to know that they have someone to turn to when life throws challenges at them.

Everyone – regardless of background, age, where they come from – deserves to have someone interested in their well-being.

Everyone experiencing age-related mental and physical decline should have someone to act as a safety net, to notice changes that earmark an oncoming crisis, even when they don’t recognise it for themselves.

CareLink wants to be that someone for everyone aged 65+ in Stoke-on-Trent who is lonely, isolated and vulnerable. We offer understanding, friendship, welfare checks and monitoring for those who might otherwise be invisible.

People’s horizons can often grow more limited as health issues, losing friends, and lack of confidence since retirement, see them socialising less and less often. But we firmly believe that later life shouldn’t be a lonely life.

We build a relationship of trust and care through regular telephone befriending calls – made by CareLink volunteers – and provide practical support for them to stay as healthy and independent in their own home as possible.

• Regular telephone befriending calls in a routine pattern each week
• A point of contact when people don’t know where to turn for help
• Direct practical support and referral to other services when care and health issues are identified
• Check that people are taking medication, keeping appointments, staying warm, and staying fed and hydrated with regular reminders
• Help to identify local social activities, and offer initial support to attend

To see a full description of the levels of care that we provide, and how we work with partner organisations to ensure a joined-up approach to our clients’ health and well-being, head over to Overview section of the site.

We will always… honour our commitment to call you when we say we will.

We will never… make any promises we can’t keep.

If you know someone over 65 who struggles with social exclusion, search our community directory map for events, groups and services that can help nearby.

There are many ways you can make a difference to older people who live near you, from volunteering to make phone calls to organising activities.

Help us help older people struggling with life’s challenges alone by donating to CareLink. Click to visit our donations page.