Lonely older adults are frequently hesitant to reach out for help because they fear forced institutionalization or other loss of control over their lives. The utilization of a time-limited holiday hotline for outreach to lonely older persons is examined. There were 306 calls from aged persons. Grief & bereavement were the main themes of these calls. Trained professionals & supervised students staffed the telephones & provided such services as responsive listening & community referrals. (21 refs)