'He's Like A Second Grandpa': Volunteers Call Isolated Seniors To Lift Their Spirits

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- While in-person volunteering opportunities may be scarce during this pandemic, there are still other ways to give back to the community.

L.A. Works, the city's largest volunteer action center, launched TeleSocial in March, which pairs homebound seniors with volunteer conversation partners.

Roger Fabien, who is battling muscular dystrophy, has been unable to leave his home but he's been bonding with Noel Payne over the phone each week.

"I've adopted her as one of my granddaughters," Fabien said. "It's good to have conversations with somebody else other than nurses and family members. It helps ease my mind."

The pair met for the first time on Sunday while practicing physical distancing.

"It's really been fulfilling that something like a simple conversation can make somebody's days, make them feel better and give them something to look forward to," Payne said. "I feel like he's like a second grandpa to me."

So far the TeleSocial program as paired more than 250 seniors with their phone buddies.

"We're not giving medical advice, we're not giving financial advice, we're simply giving friendly phone calls," Payne said.

The volunteer initiative has gotten such an overwhelming response from the community that they have more volunteers than seniors right now.

If you know someone that could use the support, visit the LA Works website.