Listen • 1:46
More than 40,000 people over age 60 in Sarasota live alone, according to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
Social isolation has made life difficult for many senior citizens during the pandemic. Volunteers at one Sarasota organization are finding that a regular phone call can help.
Suzanne Beecher began making phone calls to isolated seniors in March. She found many who were struggling, alone. One man, he had to drop his wife off at the ER and he hadn t been able to go in and she was on a ventilator. And he was just sobbing on the phone,” she recalled.
“All I could say is, I m sorry, I m so sorry. And then listen some more and just try to be there. There were a lot of calls like that.”