Mission:

• Promote security of 'at risk' senior citizens
• Reduce isolation, victimization and health concerns
• Provide daily telephone reassurance calls

Program Services:

• Brief, daily telephone call to an elderly or disabled person
• Call is placed at a pre-arranged time each day
• Calls made 5 days a week
• Verify well-being, share crime prevention tips and other useful information.
• Designed for individuals who live alone or feel isolated.
• Calls made by trained volunteers working with local law enforcement
• Service is offered at no cost.
• If the subscriber does not answer the phone, a procedure of safety checks is followed before emergency response system (911) is activated.

Participant Information:

• Names for potential participants come from individuals, families or organizations who have contact with older or disabled persons.
• Contact person is needed in case the volunteer cannot reach the participant.
• All participants are interviewed and agree to the program guidelines.
• The volunteers have been trained by law enforcement and case managers.

Background:
Tacoma and Pierce County have long recognized the need for daily telephone calls to isolated and vulnerable seniors. Any social service agency, including police, sheriff and fire departments confirm that seniors are most likely to be victimized, have health problems, and are least likely to know about services available to them.

Many seniors have multiple health problems that cause them to become homebound. Again, these seniors are most likely to be in the category of frail, isolated, and vulnerable. A major loss occurs when families move to other areas of the country or are just too busy to be involved adequately. Many seniors have outlived family and friends. One of the most effective means of reducing isolation, victimization, and health concerns is daily contact through a telephone reassurance call. This has been a successful service in many areas of the country as well as here in Pierce County.

Benefits to the Senior:

• Isolated seniors and disabled people benefit from personally talking one-on-one to another individual.
• Emergency response system available in crisis. If a subscriber does not answer the phone at the designated time, emergency procedures are followed that include calls to neighbors or emergency persons to check on the house before the emergency response system is activated.
• Well-being of the subscriber. A confidential information sheet is completed for each subscriber including emergency contacts, phone numbers, and social service contacts.
• Crime prevention information can be mailed to each applicant.

Benefits to the Community

• Affirm that older people are valued by the community and should have care available.
• Credibility through law enforcement support.
• Develop a partnership between law enforcement and social service agencies for more efficient problem solving with safety issues for vulnerable populations.
• Expand information and referral resources for social service agencies.

Benefits to the Volunteer:

• Provide opportunity to be useful with minimal time commitment and effort.
• Opportunities for volunteers to learn about social services, law enforcement, community resources and crime concerns.

To Apply:
This service is free. It is sponsored by the Pierce County TRIAD. If you live anywhere in Pierce County apply for this service by contacting the Pierce County Aging & Disability Resource Center at (253) 798-4600 or (800) 562-0332.
(The University Place Police Department has volunteers that do the calling. )