A Friendly Voice: Just a phone call away
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
Release Date: 09/03/2025
A Friendly Voice: Just a phone call away
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
We all have a need for social connections, to talk to someone about our day, events in our lives, share stories or whatever is on our mind. Social connections, how we relate to and interact with others, are important to reduce social isolation and loneliness for all ages, but particularly for older adults as we age. In this Episode of Aging Vibrantly, we will talk with France Connor, Manager of 'A Friendly Voice', that provides a free call-in service for adults over 55 years old who live in Ontario or Atlantic Canada. When an older adult calls the toll free number at 1-855-892-9992 they...
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Building Bridges: Intergenerational Classrooms
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
We live in a society that is increasingly separating individuals into age-based groups, which can lead to limited interaction and the potential for negative stereotypes and discrimination, particularly towards older adults. So how can we best address this to build connections and relationships between age groups and generations. In this episode of Aging Vibrantly, host Raeann Rideout and co-host April Struthers, feature the University of Toronto’s Intergenerational Classroom, with guests Dr. Raza Mirza, professor and creator of the program, alongside with Florene Shuber a senior...
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Kindness is Contagious : Standing up Against Senior Bullying
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this episode of Aging Vibrantly, host Raeann Rideout and co-host Pauline Luening talk with Dr. Kirsten Madsen and Liza Franses about standing up against senior bullying and the development of We begin our interview with a brief background on the aim of the project, and evolution of the Toolkit, including the need and importance for the Toolkit, including the collection of data on the prevalence and nature of Senior to Senior bullying in Ontario, Canada that demonstrated seniors have experienced being bullied, engaged in bullying behaviours as well as witnessed bullying behaviours between...
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Preparing for Caregiving
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
Are you providing or receiving care? In this episode of Aging Vibrantly, we speak with Amy Coupal, CEO of Ontario Caregivers Organization (OCO). Podcast host, Raeann Rideout and co-host Tom Warner, learned about the amazing work the OCO conducts to support Ontario’s four million caregivers who provide physical and/or emotional support to family members, partners, friends and neighbours. Our discussion led to understanding the current and future concerns and complexities, prospective caregivers are facing in Ontario and what may be needed support them, based on OCO’s recent Preparing...
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Transforming Care with a National Caregiver Strategy for Canada
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
We are excited to launch Season 2 of Aging Vibrantly with an inspiring leader who is committed to ‘making Canada the best place in the world to give and receive care! In this inaugural episode, host Raeann Rideout and co-host Pauline Luening talk with James Janeiro, Director of Policy and Government Relations for the Canadian Centre for Caregiver Excellence (CCCE). According to the CCCE, “Canada is facing a caregiving crisis that will only get worse without real action. A perfect storm is brewing, demand for care is growing, caregivers are aging, the number of available caregivers...
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Re-Release: Rebelling Against Ageism with Ashton Applewhite: Part 2
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In Episode 2 of our Rebelling Against Ageism Series, host Raeann Rideout, is joined with co-host April Struthers, for a lively discussion on Ageism with our guest Ashton Applewhite, an internationally recognized expert on ageism and leader on healthy aging, author of . In part 2 of our interview, Ashton dives into how we internalize aging and explore the connection between ageism and elder abuse, tips for encouraging intergenerational conversations on aging and her advocacy work as co-founder the , and success stories of Ageism Campaigns, including Ageism Awareness Day, that are...
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Re-Release: Rebelling Against Ageism with Ashton Applewhite : Part 1
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this inaugural episode, host Raeann Rideout, is joined with co-host April Struthers, for a lively discussion on Ageism with our guest Ashton Applewhite, an internationally recognized expert on ageism and leader on healthy aging, author of , and co-founder of the Hub. In Part 1 of our Rebelling Against Ageism Series, Ashton imparts her insights on defining ageism, its prevalence, impacts and where it shows up in our lives from health, policy, and intergenerational dialogue. We learn to check our assumptions and do our own self reflection of internal ageism. Ashton informs us of the...
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Putting a Stop to Frauds and Scams Targeting Seniors
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this final episode of Season 1 of Aging Vibrantly, we are putting a stop to frauds and scams targeting seniors. Our host Raeann Rideout and co-host Mary Ennis, speak with Stephanie Senecal, the Senior Support Unit Coordinator from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, along with Karen Deredin and Bonnie Bednarik, who are senior volunteers at the CAFC, who share their wealth of information and their lived experience to help us gain a better understanding of how frauds happen and actions to take to prevent frauds and scams. Every year, people of all ages fall victim to fraud. Data from the...
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Bridging the Gap : Building Generational Connections
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this episode, Bridging the Gap : Building Generational Connections we explore intergenerational programs that promote understanding and mutual respect among generations, contribute to age friendly communities and have proven to work in addressing ageism. In fact, intergenerational programs are valued and celebrated across Canada and internationally with events held on Intergenerational Day in Canada each year on June 1 and during Global Intergenerational Week which is recognized this year from April 24 - 30, 2025. Join us to listen to our senior expert on intergenerational learning, Sharon...
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Inspirations for Lifelong Learning
Aging Vibrantly : Conversations to Empower Seniors
In this episode, our guest Olive Bryanton, is the epitome of the life-long learner. Motivated to learn with her unending curiosity and desire to advocate and improve the lives of older adults, we learn about her journey to going back to PEI University to complete her Phd. Floursishing from her research, peer mentoring endevours and organizational connections, led Olive to her current advocacy work in community and government, leadership roles on needs older women in rural areas and role model for other later life learners. In this episode you will learn : How Olive defines life...
info_outlineWe all have a need for social connections, to talk to someone about our day, events in our lives, share stories or whatever is on our mind. Social connections, how we relate to and interact with others, are important to reduce social isolation and loneliness for all ages, but particularly for older adults as we age.
In this Episode of Aging Vibrantly, we will talk with France Connor, Manager of 'A Friendly Voice', that provides a free call-in service for adults over 55 years old who live in Ontario or Atlantic Canada. When an older adult calls the toll free number at 1-855-892-9992 they will be greeted by a compassionate and caring volunteer who will listen to them. Each call may last up to 30 minutes and seniors can call as many as 3 times a day. A Friendly Voice is available from 8 AM - 10 PM (ET), 7 days a week/365 days a year.
In this episode you will learn:
- How volunteers at A Friendly Voice are trained in having good listening skills, showing empathy and respect and to identify warning signs of abuse, neglect or fraud.
- Why maintaining connections can help older adults mitigate the negative impacts of isolation and loneliness, which are often associated with increased risks of poor health, depression, anxiety, elder abuse, disability and frailty.
- How keeping engaged with others can provide a sense of belonging, purpose, and even improve cognitive function and yes, age vibrantly!
- About the WHO (World Health Organization) recent study, that found 1 in 6 people on this planet feel lonely. In Canada, an estimated 1.6 million older Canadians feel lonely, which is almost one in five Canadian seniors aged 65 and older experiencing loneliness.
Until next time - Stay Vibrant!
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References & Resources:
A Friendly Voice
https://afriendlyvoice.ca
Toll-Free: 1-855-892-9992
From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies. Report of the WHO Commission on Social Connection
https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection/report
Webinar Presentation at SAGE:
A FRIENDLY VOICE Reducing loneliness and isolation one phone call at a time. Presented By: Kelly Dumas & France Connor.
https://sagelink.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Kelly-Dumas.pdf
Media Interviews
A Friendly Voice on CTV (Oct. 2024)
https://www.facebook.com/AFVCanada/videos/a-friendly-voice-on-ctv/927936622139014/
Age Friendly Thunder Bay - TV Show (Oct. 15, 2024)
https://www.agefriendlythunderbay.ca/age-friendly-tv-show/v/episode-29-a-friendly-voice-program?categoryId=65411c2bb00d14145d2ba397
New phone line lends lonely seniors a friendly ear (Dec 4, 2018)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-seniors-line-phone-in-1.4937986
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About Our Guest:
France Connor has been with Rural Ottawa South Support Services (ROSSS) since 2019 as the Manager for A Friendly Voice. In her role, France manages a large team of trained volunteers, ensuring empathy, active listening, and cultural sensitivity, all while maintaining quality standards, and fostering a supportive environment for both the callers and volunteers. It is the personal connections and relationships she has developed with the callers who use the warm line that France finds the most rewarding. Knowing that she can make a positive change in a person’s day by simply saying, “Good morning, A Friendly Voice, this is France”, reaffirms the need and fills her heart with joy.
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Credits:
Producer: Todd Miller, The Podcast Experts
Podcast Coordinator: Lisa Widdifield
Co-Host: Sherry Baker, Member of Aging Vibrantly Podcast Advisory Committee
Orginal Music: Redpath Audio
We want to thank HelpAge Canada for their financial support to produce Season 2 of the Aging Vibrantly podcast.
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If you prefer to watch the interviews, full episodes are available on Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario’s YouTube Channel.
Be sure to check our website, eapon.ca to learn more resources on abuse prevention and protecting the rights and dignity of older adults.
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as constituting or implying endorsement by EAPO of any entity, product, service or organization mentioned, referenced, or linked