"What matters most to older people living in nursing homes is that they're cared about, not just in the practical, but in the spiritual and the emotional. The Church is well placed to do this work."

This is the goal of a Swansea churches scheme to befriend elderly people in care homes. Through Adopt a Care Home volunteers from local churches will visit residents and simply chat and listen to them over a cuppa. And churches have been teaming up with social services to reach the most lonely residents.

Nick Andrews from Swansea Council Adult Services added: "People in care homes often feel lonely and isolated. Adopt a Care Home is a local joint effort to help improve quality of life in care homes. It's about offering more emotional care and treating people with dignity and respect."

Passion and knowledge...

The joint scheme began in November last year (2010) when Swansea council met with Gweini and church groups plus social workers, care homes and Age Concern to talk about how to improve care for elderly people. For Swansea churches, sending volunteers into care homes to visit residents is nothing new, but Adopt a Care Home dovetails the work of the churches with the knowledge and expertise of the council and other groups.

Giving time

Social services has been running training for the volunteers who signed up to visit residents. Mandy Harvey of Swansea Hope and Gweini member is coordinating the volunteers. She said the scheme is vital for isolated people living in care homes.

"Practical care is good but it isn't enough. Residents need relationship and interaction with other people, especially those who don't have family nearby. We want lonely people in care homes to be befriended and we as the Church want to do this with integrity, best practice, training and knowledge."

Alison Farr goes to Parklands church in Swansea and will soon start volunteering at Hillside Residential and Nursing Home for patients with dementia. She joined 15 other volunteers from various churches across the city for the training sessions.

Alison said: "I know people who have lived in care and have been very lonely because their family have moved away. Not all families can look after their older relatives now but volunteers can befriend, chat and help people feel less alone.

"Adopt a Care Home is about offering friendship and doesn't take very much on our part - just an hour once a week, and there are so many benefits. Care home staff are always short on time, but that's exactly what the volunteers can give."

Linking up

Swansea council is now linking care homes with churches so that the volunteers can start to establish good relationships with staff and residents. In some cases, volunteers will be drawing on existing relationships with local care homes from previous work. The volunteers will be assigned a resident by the staff at the care homes.

Your area

If you are interested in starting something like this is your city or town the first step is to go to social services or care home directly. Mandy said: "Social Services have knowledge and can link your church with a home, if a natural link doesn't already exist. If you're from a church, tell your council about the scheme and ask if they'd be interested."

Peter Field, Swansea council contracting officer, works with the 40 care homes in Swansea. He said that volunteers have to have good people skills to do this work.

"If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or setting up a scheme like this in your locality you need good people skills, to be able to sit and listen, to give your time, to be comfortable with older people, some of whom might have dementia, to be patient and committed to establishing relationships. This is a very new initiative but we believe it will really benefit people.

Worth it

"I used to visit an elderly man connected to a friend at the church who lived in care before he died," said Alison. "I'd chat to him and bring him things like cakes, brands that he loved but couldn't get himself. He used to say he was so grateful of my visits and was very appreciative. It was beneficial to him to have a friend to come and see him and I know others will find the same too."

She added: "I'm looking forward to be able to bring something good to a lonely person - to sit and chat with them, look at their photos and take an interest in their life."