Chilean seniors connected and active amid COVID-19

“During a cold afternoon in September, I received a call from an older gentleman named Marco Antonio. His is voice sounded hurried but safe.” 

That is how Claudio Espinoza describes his first call with Marco Antonio Ulloa, who at 91 poignantly recalls his time as a high-performance athlete: 

“He told me he had won many medals and he had been a South American Champion in track and field, and he felt very proud of the years he spent as an athlete.”  

During their calls, Claudio and Marco discussed his athletic achievements, a stark contrast with today, in which Marco finds himself a high-risk senior. 

The pandemic has presented a complex set of challenges, especially for seniors like Marco Antonio. To support the country’s seniors, the Chilean National Service for Older Persons (SENAMA), created a national phone line 800-400-035, named FONO Mayor COVID-19. In coordination with the United Nations Emergency Node project, produced a mobile application called NODO Emergency Platform that connects senior citizens to a network of COVID-19 support services, including health and companionship services. Trained professionals listen and provide guidance to callers. For those living alone or feeling isolated, having someone to listen can make a significant difference on their wellbeing. 

Keeping the human connection while social distancing 

Like so many other callers, Marco Antonio called the hotline seeking help on navigating technology. 

“The last time we spoke, I taught him how to use some cellphone applications, and he also told me that thanks to my help he was able to speak to his son by video chat. We spoke about his fears, and how he felt about being able to speak to his son, even if it was just through a video chat”, said Claudio.

According to the latest national survey conducted by the University of Chile and Caja Los Andes (a family services nonprofit founded by the Chilean chamber of construction) in 2019, one out of every four people over the age of 60 feel isolated or excluded by others — the pandemic has only heightened this for many. 

Pre-pandemic figures show that between 2013 and 2019 the number of older people with smartphones increased by almost 40%, and the ones who have Internet access at home increased by an early 20%. According to the same study, 39% of older people have a computer or a tablet at home. 

The Resident Coordinator Office, together with UNDP, FAO, and ILO, is working with the Chilean National Service for Older Persons (SENAMA) to expand the scope and streamline the process of the national hotline FONO Mayor, through the NODO Emergency Platform. Since the launch of the platform last August, the team now has access to richer and more robust data than was previously available. The NODO Emergency Platform also incorporates a community component and facilitates data management by providing an effective analysis and monitoring system during different stages of this social protection system. The system tracks the cases throughout the process, from the initial call to the resolution, allowing for more effective response. 

In addition to this new tool, new categories of cases have been added to this social programme by taking all the lessons learnt since the beginning of the implementation into account. This has contributed to better service and attention to the user's needs, leading to 31,396 calls in 2020.  

“COVID has made us think differently, in how we can reach seniors, which is a high-risk group that requires care networks. We adapted by talking about SENAMA through the Ministry of Social Development and the Office of the First Lady”, explains Silvia Rucks, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Chile. 

The main goals of the NODO Emergency Project have been to prevent physical distancing from becoming social exclusion, seeking innovative solutions and creating ties that allow people to connect with support networks, while at the same time reinforcing their interpersonal, community and eventually family relationships.  

Providing inclusive support for the elderly 

According to the data provided by the NODO Emergency Platform — a key element of the FONO MAYOR COVID-19 Programme— during the first quarter of 2021, most of the incoming calls were from older people (in 51% of cases), followed by a direct relative, such as a son or daughter (24%); meanwhile, the remaining 13% were carried out by another relative of the person who required care. In terms of the age of the users, the number of daily calls in the first quarter indicates that 47% are older adults between 60 and 79 years old, followed by people under 60 years old (42%), and 11% corresponding to people aged 80 and older. 

During this time, according to the research unit of SENAMA, most callers have been women (67%). In total, from January to the end of March, calls to the FONO Mayor COVID-19 hotline came from 259 communities, which equals to 75% of the nation. The data shows that these public and free information and technology communication services have improved social protection and inclusion of the elderly. 

To help build a stronger sense of engagement, the NODO Emergency Platform adds community and social networks to social protection programmes for the elderly and their caregivers, as well as targets other vulnerable groups, including women, young people and people with disabilities.

A series of interviews included in Stories of the FONO Mayor: Testimonies about challenges and responses to the pandemic produced by journalist Rafael Martínez Carvallo and edited by the NODO and FONO Mayor (SENAMA) teams, with illustrations by Maximiliano Andrade illustrate some of the success stories from the initiative. More information is available at https://chile.un.org/ and personasmayoreschile.com.
 

Note: Although all the data included in this article are direct testimonials, the names of those involved have been changed to respect their safety and privacy. 

Article is based on Plataforma NODO Emergencia and Voces en la pandemia, which were originally published by the UN Country Team in Chile with contributions, editing, and supervision by Hernán Araya, Communications Director NODO, Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Development. Editorial support by Carolina Lorenzo, Development Coordination Office. To learn more about the work of the United Nations Country Team in Chile, please visit: Chile.UN.org.