The Friendship Line

Knowing there is someone who cares can make all the difference. The Friendship Line reaches out to older adults, offering a wealth of emotional and well-being resources, as well as medication oversight and compliance. In the comfort and privacy of their home, seniors receive emotional support, reassurance, counseling, crisis intervention, abuse prevention help, medication reminders, well-being checks, and information and referral for additional care. Our trained staff and volunteers receive calls and make outgoing calls, offering an ongoing connection for many depressed or lonely older adults.

Directed by Patrick Arbore, the Friendship Line is part of IOA's Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention (CESP), and provides year-round support to at-risk older adults.

For more information, simply call (415) 752-3778 or (800) 971-0016 and introduce yourself to a Friendship Line counselor. If you desire to receive services, a staff member will discuss a plan of support that best meets your needs.

Medication Oversight Project

Seniors, on average, take more than seven medications a day and may see several doctors. The Medication Oversight Project helps seniors adhere to their medication regimen. With the Medication Oversight Project's monitoring, more seniors can continue to live in their homes instead of moving to care facilities.

Enrollment in the Medication Oversight Project begins with an initial home visit by the Project Coordinator and/or a Social Work Intern or Marriage Family Therapist Intern, to obtain basic information and to inventory the prescribed medications. Assessments on a number of topics are collected from the client, such as their depression level, social support, and mental status. This data is reviewed regularly to determine whether Friendship Line clients are enjoying better health and quality of life, and an increased ability to function as a result of the Medication Oversight Project.

How the Medication Oversight Project works

Client prescriptions are transferred to one local pharmacy, which packages the pills into color-coded bubble packs and delivers them monthly to clients for a minimal charge. Every day, the senior breaks open the dated plastic bubbles to take the right medications, at the right time. Dispensing the medications out of one pharmacy reduces the risk of adverse reactions to a particular combination of medications.

The Social Work/Marriage Family Therapist Intern continues to make home visits to evaluate any changes in the client's condition as a result of closer adherence to their medication regimen. Seniors are strongly encouraged to carry their medication lists at all times, and especially for medical appointments. Note: IOA and its employees and volunteers associated with this program do not dispense prescriptions or give any medication advice.