Telefonul Varstnicului (The Elderly Helpline), the national free helpline dedicated to older people, recorded 11,697 calls last year and served as a trusted voice for 5,769 elderly people across Romania, confirming its essential role as a support, information and connection tool for seniors nationwide.
According to a press release from the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation, during the year 2,582 new callers were registered, alongside 2,912 people already in the Telefonul Varstnicului database who called back in 2025 to request additional information, highlighting the service's consistent and relational nature, agerpres reports.
A total of 275 elderly people were enrolled in the weekly call-back service aimed at alleviating loneliness, while 15 volunteers were actively involved, mainly in the weekly follow-up activity.
In terms of gender distribution, 58% of new callers were women (1,500), compared with 42% men (1,082 - a slight increase from the previous year), confirming the ongoing trend that elderly women are more likely to seek support and counselling services.
Some 56% of seniors live alone (1,441), while 26% live with a partner (663). Smaller numbers live with other people (238) or with children and grandchildren (214), underlining the fragility of family support networks at older ages.
The largest age group, accounting for 38%, is seniors aged between 70 and 80 (969), followed by those aged 80-90 at 19% (500), and 65-70 at 16% (413). The presence of callers under 50 (271) points to family members seeking information and support on behalf of elderly relatives, while those aged over 90 (78) reflect situations of heightened vulnerability.
Most callers - 39% - came from rural areas and small towns (1,010), followed by large cities (743) and Bucharest (682), confirming unequal access to specialised services and the need for nationwide interventions.
Geographically, Bucharest recorded the highest number of callers (682), followed by Moldavia (466), Transylvania (445) and Muntenia (426), with lower figures in Oltenia (199), Dobrogea (121) and Banat (96), outlining broad national coverage.
As regards the needs of elderly callers, most requests concerned general information on rights, services and social guidance. A total of 907 seniors received free and easy access to relevant contacts and up-to-date information tailored to their specific situations from the specialised team.
In addition, 661 seniors were provided with information on available specialised services, referrals to residential care homes and institutionalisation procedures, community resources, and recommendations for institutions offering home medical care.
Last year, 441 elderly people also obtained information via Telefonul Varstnicului about opportunities to take part in digital education workshops organised in Bucharest and 15 other localities nationwide, about volunteering opportunities in the community such as the Generatii (Generations) Centres, or about activities organised in local senior clubs or through the Seniors' TeleClub.
Requests for financial and material assistance (298), as well as emotional support (120), ranked last, reflecting social and emotional realities that require integrated and sustainable interventions.
"Ten years after the launch of the free helpline, Telefonul Varstnicului has established itself as a pillar of social stability, a trusted channel and a voice for Romania's seniors, demonstrating that the tradition of caring for the elderly can be upheld through modern solutions, empathy and strong partnerships. Over these years, the team of social workers has responded to around 117,300 calls, providing guidance and solutions for the needs of approximately 22,300 unique beneficiaries from all regions of the country," the foundation states.
Calls to Telefonul Varstnicului can be made free of charge on 0800 460 001, from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Founded in 1990 by Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, together with her father, King Mihai, the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation supports elderly people through programmes aimed at improving their quality of life, with the involvement of volunteers and the mobilisation of institutional partners and the wider community. Its most recent initiatives include the Fund for the Elderly, Telefonul Varstnicului, the Generatii Community Centres, and We Connect Generations in the Digital World.
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