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Befriending Stories

At the beginning of March, we received a call from the East London Foundation Trust (NHS Mental Health Services) to look for a befriender for a Vietnamese patient under their memory clinic. We took a Vietnamese patient and her daughter phone numbers and we called her daughter the next day.


The patient name is NTN, she is living in Limehouse and is 77 years old. We had a long conversation on the phone with her daughter to find out her long-term illness and what exactly does she need from our befriending service. Mrs NTN has been living with dementia for over 10 years. Her daughter has supported her to live independently and safely at home for many years. Her daughter said that Mrs NTN’s symptoms has not worsen in the past 5 years, she does not feel anxious, stressed and she can still follow conversations and concentrate. Mrs NTN’s daughter is her sole career and was forced to give up her job to look after Mrs NTN. However, this meant that Mrs NTN was not able to have a break. Therefore, she wanted her mum to go into respite care so that she can have this break. Although, Mrs NTN did not want to and insisted she could manage at home on her own (she cannot go out by herself or cooked for her).


We told Mrs NTN’s daughter what we can do for her mum

. At the present, we can provide telephone befriending service until 17 of May. Afterwards, government rules will hopefully change when it comes to face to face contact. Our volunteers will be able to meet Mrs NTN, walk with her to the park or shopping centre. We hope that our luncheon club will reopen from the 21st of June and Mrs NTN can come to our club for social meetings to reduce her isolation. Her daughter can have a break from caring, she will be able to look after herself and that she will be less exhausted.


We also told Mrs NTN’s daughter that our befriending service will stop in September 2021, but the Befriending service in Toynbee hall will take over our service. In the future (maybe from June), we will introduce Mrs NTN to get to know staff and volunteers from the Toynbee Hall and so she builds up the confidence to use a mainstream service



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