Keeping seniors connected through the power of conversation
It’s no secret that as we age, the day-to-day changes. Factors outside of our control make it harder to stay connected — bringing on feelings of loneliness. But addressing this doesn’t have to be challenging. In fact, all it can take is a simple phone call.
“Aging is so different now, but it’s about how we serve this group and create the kind of world we want to age in so we can feel seen and heard,” Christian Ross, Happy Talks founder and “Chief Happiness Officer” told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Happy Talks is an organization focused on making connections by pairing older adults with a dedicated Friendship Buddy — someone they can chat with regularly by phone for a fee. Through its personalized Friendship Club, Happy Talks helps reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, while creating joyful, engagement moments.
“We are in the social care space, connecting older adults with friendly conversation,” Ross said.
As a real estate agent, Ross saw firsthand the struggle older individuals had when it came to moving out of their homes and having their environment change. She started Happy Talks in 2021, making regular phone calls, mailing letters — known as Happy Mail — and sending quarterly care packages with custom goodies inside to connect people to the world around them.
According to the National Institute of Aging, people who are socially isolated or lonely have higher risks for health complications, like high blood pressure, anxiety and depression.
“Studies show that if you’re not connected, you can have a higher risk of early onset dementia. Our whole goal is telling everyone that connection equals better health,” she explained.
Making a call to connect
Brenda Stevenson, 85, gets a weekly call from Happy Talks, which her daughter, Venis Sims arranged. The calls brought Ms. Shelby, her Friendship Buddy, into both their lives.
“My mom has bonded with Ms. Shelby and talks with her like she does her other friends,” Sims shared.
Stevenson moved to Atlanta after retiring from a career in nursing. She’s legally blind as a result of glaucoma, so she doesn’t drive, but can still go out when she’s up to it. As a very social person whose circle of friends was getting smaller, Sims wanted to help her mom stay connected.
“My mom is a great conversationalist. I’ve noticed her talking on the phone to family and friends, and see that she perks up and enjoys the engagement,” she said.
According to Sims, her mom never really “rebooted” after the move, so Sims began keeping her eyes open for opportunities to help her mom connect.
“It didn’t take a second for me to sign on to Happy Talks,” she said, adding that the calls help her mom feel purposeful.
The regular phone calls have an added benefit for Sims, who’s a live-in, full-time caregiver for her mom.
“It takes some heat off of me,” Sims said. “Being the everything for someone is sometimes overwhelming, and Happy Talks helps me keep her engaged and improves her overall quality and well-being.”
Stevenson has been getting weekly calls for about a year, and Sims said her mom often plans her day around her Happy Talks calls.
“The enhancement of having people to talk to and relate to is good for all people, but even more so as we age because our circles shrink. I feel like it’s a good idea to continually be meeting people and interacting with new people,” Sims said.
The impact of a simple gesture
Considering herself a “connector,” Ross not only brings two people together who will want to talk with each other, but she does it with sensitivity toward their unique situations. Sims loves that it’s called a Friendship Circle so it feels less like a service and more like what it truly is: a beneficial connection for everyone.
“It has been really rewarding to hear peoples’ stories and experiences,” Ross said. “I feel like all our buddies have big hearts, but this makes their hearts get bigger.”
Ross has made it her mission to touch as many lives as possible, and the heartfelt responses from families show how deeply her organization is making a difference.
“I am a huge fan of Happy Talks because of the difference that it made for my dad,” Alison Fussell told the AJC. “The calls gave him the privilege to talk about whatever he wanted to talk about.”
Fussell’s father, Eugene Urieff, received a daily call from Happy talks for over two-and-a-half years until his passing a few months ago.
“Happy Talks is the best little bit of money I’ve ever spent in my life for my dad. These people are so incredible because they really understand human connection and provide something so tangible for people.”
