Saskatoon mom’s idea to phone lonely seniors met with enthusiasm  

Danielle Moskalewski knows how it feels to be alone, isolated, and to crave the company of others.

She and her family were stuck in their home in Montreal for two weeks in 1998, following the devastating ice storm that hit North America. It affected southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as parts of the northeastern U.S.

That storm caused massive damage to trees, while millions of people were left without power for anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Thirty-four people died, and activities in Montreal and Ottawa were shut down.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Moskalewski is feeling much the same way she did back then. A naturally social person and trained as a teacher, she immediately thought of local seniors who may be feeling especially isolated during this time.

“We may not be able to visit in person, but we have time to make a call, a difference and a friend. What can we do? What can the kids do to help? What’s going to bring joy to people around them? We’re not going out, we’re not going to be in public, but what can we do from home?” she said.

She joined two Facebook groups — Caremongering Saskatoon, and the recently formed YXE Community Response COVID-19 group — and made a post asking whether any seniors or others in isolation would appreciate a phone call. Dozens of people responded.

“Lots of people love the idea,” she said. “Lots of people want to participate. Lots of people have ideas of how to get ahold of seniors.”

She made her first phone call Wednesday, to a senior who lives in the Hampton Village area.

“If I can build that relationship, if I can maintain that relationship long term — it doesn’t matter if it’s a pandemic or not — she doesn’t need to be alone,” Moskalewski said.

The initiative also helps her and her children, said Moskalewski. She too wants to stay connected with others.

“Unfortunately, a lot of these seniors are used to being alone,” she said. “We’re in isolation at home, and we’re not used to being alone. We want that interaction. We want it for our children and to build those connections.”

For those who’d like to contact her, she can be reached on her personal Facebook page, and on the two Facebook sites she joined.

She also wants people to call her directly at 1-306-514-2408.

“I’m a little nervous about where this is going, but I also want to make sure people know that we’re there for them,” she said.