Dosti service also covers the Social Work Intervention Services theme along with helping in reducing isolation and improving the well-being of seniors. DOSTI volunteers provide culturally appropriate and confidential visiting services for seniors who are unable to come to the Day Programme for different reasons. It is during these conversations that the senior may open up and confide their issues(if any) to the volunteer. Depending on the issues the social workers of Shanti Niwas decide on what action needs to be taken including suitable intervention. All actions are initiated after taking consent from the senior. DOSTI service thus provides a non-threatening platform for seniors to share their issues with confidence.

As mentioned earlier, the DOSTI volunteers go through police verification and in-house training on appropriately providing the service with trust, dignity and respect for the seniors. We regularly seek volunteers to support us in implementing this project.

Benefits

Social isolation is a growing issue in the Indian and South Asian senior population. People who are socially isolated don’t always have support from friends, family and the wider community.
Due to lack of awareness of NZ systems, language and transport difficulties, etc., some seniors are not able to integrate into the community and become lonely and housebound. This results in physical, mental health problems or places them at higher risk of elder abuse and neglect.
Through this project, we aim to decrease the level of isolation and loneliness for older people living in the community and strive to create a society where people can age positively, where older people are highly valued and recognized as an integral part of communities.

• Enhance the well-being and quality of life for an older person
• Provide befriending service to lonely seniors.
• Reduces loneliness and social isolation
• Increases social participation for older people
• Establish a friendship between an older person and a volunteer
• Reduce generation gap
• Identify issues of elder abuse and neglect.
• Training and on-going supervision for volunteers
• If you want to access this service or become a volunteer please contact us.
  Verona Sequeira, Dosti Project Coordinator Mob: 0212592114
  Shanti Niwas Centre: 14 Spring Street, Onehunga, Auckland.
  09 6221010 (office)
  Email: info@shantiniwas.org.nz