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The Western Territory sent a card to some 3,000 residents of The Salvation Army’s Silvercrest facilities in the Western Territory, alerting them to a toll-free phone line they can call for support and encouragement.
“I’m calling it the Silver Line,” said Sarah Bentley, a staff member at The Salvation Army’s Western Territory Headquarters, who had the idea. “I was just sitting in my office thinking about how to connect with our seniors. I’d seen a hotline in England and thought, ‘We can do that.’”
A friend of Bentley’s donated funds to cover the cost of the phone line and Bentley herself will be manning the line.
“If the volume is too much to handle, we’ll bring in extra people to help,” she said. “I’m hoping people can find companionship…they can ask us to pray with them or just chat with them about day-to-day stuff. It’s important they know we care about them and they’re not alone.”
With so many residents, Bentley said one challenge is the number of languages spoken. “We’re trying to figure that out now,” she said.
Chuck, from the Broomfield, Colorado, Silvercrest was the first caller.
“I just want to please thank everyone down the line at The Salvation Army—you people are wonderful in a time of crisis—especially the ministers who’ve gone out of the way to help us out, and the staff who’ve gone above and beyond to try and keep spirits up and keep everything clean,” he said. “You’ve all done a wonderful job. We are to reflect God’s light in the darkness, and this The Salvation Army has done in spades. Thank you, thank you, all.”
Many properties are also offering in-room activities and welfare checks to keep residents active and secure.
Many properties are also offering in-room activities and welfare checks to keep residents active and secure.