INNOVATIVE technology is helping older people across Helensburgh and Lomond combat loneliness and social isolation during lockdown.

Local befriending charity, Visiting Friends, has received almost £3,000 to buy four KOMPs - one button computers that look like small TVs and allow users to receive messages, pictures and video calls.

Before benefitting from the recent funding award, the group had been renting a KOMP and 82-year-old client Jim MacDonald has been using the device for a month.

He said: “I’ve been able to connect with my nephew in Norway and it’s great when the pictures of his family come through. I’ve even been able to have video calls with him.

"I’ve also been able to connect with an old friend on it.”

Jim's only sibling moved from Scotland to Norway in 1959 and a lot of his closest family - two nephews, a niece and their eight children - now live close to Oslo and Bergen.

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John Stuart Ottersen, Jim’s nephew, who lives in the Scandinavian country, said: "My uncle Jimmy has been stuck in his apartment in Helensburgh for months now.

"In addition to the pandemic, he also has had to battle the effects of various accidents, like when he lately broke his wrist.

"Jimmy always gives a positive and cheerful impression on the phone and when he had his last accident we were really impressed by how friends, neighbours and his Visiting Friends befriender Shirley kept him company and helped him out, while we could only try to keep in touch on the phone.

"When I first heard about the KOMP I wasn't quite sure what it was, since I hadn't heard about this kind of device.

"But I installed the app, sent some photos of the family and called my uncle, who is not used to videotelephony.

"It was great to see him again and since the box on his end should be very easy to use, I'm looking forward to closer contact with Jimmy, and so are my brother and sister."

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Each KOMP costs around £600, plus £19 per month for unlimited 4G if the client doesn’t already have broadband access.

Visiting Friends manager, Jayne Burnett, said tech solutions to loneliness are relatively expensive and will probably remain so until they are more widespread.

However, the organisation was keen to start the ball rolling locally and demonstrate how useful the KOMP can be.

Jayne said: "The magic of the KOMP is that it’s really easy to use – it’s either off, or on and receiving photos etc. There are no complicated passwords or sign in procedures.

"It’s also extremely safe. Friends and family connect with the user of the KOMP via a smart phone app. and only those who are invited to connect with the user can interact with them.

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"Nowadays there is a well-recognised and complex digital divide which can prevent older people in particular from accessing technology like the tablets and smart phones that most of us depend upon and take for granted.

"Many of our clients have relatives and friends who are too far away to visit and lockdown has made this even more difficult.

"I love the idea that a family member can instantly share a photograph of a special moment or video call with a loved one and see straight away if they are OK.

"KOMP is also something our volunteer befrienders can use to keep in regular contact with our clients. I can see this technology being really useful to members of the health and social care teams too.

"We already have a waiting list of clients who would like to have a KOMP but hopefully we'll be able to purchase more in the near future and ensure that as many people as possible in Helensburgh and Lomond will benefit from this marvellous technology.”

To find out more about Visiting Friends and the volunteering opportunities available, contact Jayne on 0739 6316503, jayne@visitingfriends.org or Debbie on 0739 6316502, debbie@visitingfriends.org.

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