"are you ok" phone calls (55, beach, moving)

[scrappinJudy]

I live alone and have 2 dogs. If something happened to me, what would happen to the dogs? I did some research online and there seem to be some private companies and some police departments that make these kinds of calls. I will also call my security company and see if they offer any such service.

here is one PD link that I found:

"Are You OK?" Phone Calls
This wonderful reassurance service is offered through the Davis Police Department. A daily, computerized phone call to your home asks you to push a button if you are OK. If you don't answer the phone after a few tries, or you don't push the button, the police will come by your home to check on you. To sign up, call the Davis Senior Center at (530) 757-5696.

here's another link: Wellness Check


and, here are 2 private companies: Tel-A-Tend - Home and We Check On You Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.wecheckonyou.com/faq.html - broken link)


Does anybody on this board use anything like this? I live in Durham, NC.

[Keeper]

I think it is a good idea. I have the same fears.. My daughter lives near me but with work and taking care of her family there are many times when I don't hear from her for days. She always tells me the phone works both ways but that is not the point.. it is who would know if I needed help.

I also have dogs and it is worrisome that they would not be able to get out.

[scrappinJudy]

I paid for a more expensive security system, which sort of combines "I fell and I can't get up" with the security. They can come on line & talk into my house & if i don't answer, they'll send the EMTs. But, if I had a stroke or heart attack, that mite not be enough. I have to push a button to tell them I need help. I should wear that device, but I don't. but, at least it's near my bed.

afraid the dogs would start eating ME!

[Wisteria]

I have those same fears, too, although I don't have any system like that for now. However, that is the very reason I moved into a 55+ mobile home park in Santa Cruz -- to be closer to people who understand the need for vigilence, and to have a larger support system of those in a similar age group.

For those who have been following our "Women Retiring Alone" thread, you know that I recently moved from the mountains to town, and one of our other regular women on that thread, Nancy thereader, just bought a home here. She just moved in this weekend from New York City!! She has such an adorable home!

When I saw the title of this thread, I looked because it was just yesterday that the moving van came for Nancy, and I actually walked over in the morning to see them moving her stuff in, and then later in the day I walked over again -- plus, she has walked to my house. This is a bonus in the age of so many people living alone!

We are trying to build our community of friends living here so that we can help each other over the decades. It is scary to think of being alone and not having someone nearby to check on you or to stop by. One of my friend's mother just died this weekend, so it brought the concept quite clearly back to me.

I still have to work full-time right now for financial reasons, but once I retire, I hope to meet many more people in the park. As usual, it is filled with single women.... Once we are more settled, I am sure Nancy will meet people that I have not met because she is already retired. I have met some nice people already -- ironically, a number originally from the eastcoast, too.

As we find it more necessary, I imagine we will put in place a system where we check on each other regularly. I am in my early 60s, and it's been quite a while that I have lived just a few doors down from a friend, and I had forgotten how nice that is. As a kid, I could easily walk to friends' houses -- but that doesn't seem to be the norm anymore for adults, especially single adults and older adults. So, it was so nice to know I have someone near by and I can just walk over in 30 seconds!

Anyone interested in joining our community here, you are welcome. Surprisingly, it is "affordable," especially if you already own a home and are planning on relocating. It's a really nice neighborhood and community, just blocks from the beach, and we are welcoming anyone who would like to live the concept of community and helping each other.

I think this thread makes good points, and all the more reason to know our neighbors and have friends check back and forth. Our children are too young to fully grasp how it feels to be aging and the worry of just dropping dead on the spot!

Thanks for starting this thread.

[paintdog52]

I think it's wonderful to have someone call or come over and see if all is well. My neighbors and I do it for each other and it humbles me to know that people care. A small act of kindness can mean so much.

[scrappinJudy]

I should have added that I recently moved to a new city, new state. So, don't yet know many people.

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by scrappinJudy

I should have added that I recently moved to a new city, new state. So, don't yet know many people.

I moved to a new city because my daughter moved up here. She said she wanted me to be closer after my DH passed away.

I know a couple of ppl but most everyone have their own family or have lived here for a long time so they have their own friends.

I admire Nancy for moving across the country. I would consider it but I don't think I can afford it plus I have too many pets. They are how I fill my alone time.

afraid the dogs would start eating ME!

You know it has to happen. I may ask around here and see if there is anything like that around here.

[scrappinJudy]

can only conclude that nobody has such a service. weird!

[knoxgarden]

My mother had the Lifealert system. She really liked it. It required her to "report in" every night by punching in a code or phone number. Don't remember exactly what.
It gave me peace of mind to know that help would come if she needed it. She also had a "round robin call list" from church where people checked on each other every day.
I'm considering the LifeAlert. My Medicare Advantage will pay the monthly fee for it if I pay the $25 installation fee.
My mother got involved in all of this after she got herself in a situation where she needed it and didn't have it. She lived in the desert and really hated bugs in the house, particularly crickets. She thought she had been hearing a particularly noisy one for several days in the enclosed back porch/laundry room.
She went out there with a broom to chase it down and closed the sliding door so it couldn't get into the house. The door locked behind her and she didn't have a key.
After my father had died the year before, she had security screens put all the windows and doors. The screens were heavy metal and required a key to open. She didn't have that key either. No phone in that room.
She had water and sink. She spent 1-1/2 days there before she could get the attention of a neighbor who had gone out to his yard. It was the height of summer and people were away or staying indoors.
He called the police but the only way to get in that wasn't blocked by the security screens was through a small, high bathroom window. They had to get a neighborhood kid to go through and let her out.
She signed up for LifeAlert the next day and wore it always.
She did have people checking on her, neighbors, a cleaning lady/helper who came by frequently but even a day can be a long time in a situation like that.
The kick in the story is that it wasn't a cricket at all. It was the smoke detector by the dryer chirping because it needed a new battery. She didn't know it did that.

[Keeper]

I thought about the life alert but knowing me I would forget to check in. I have a hard enough time remembering to give the cat her shots every day.

I have one neighbor who doesn't like me because he hates ppl especially if they have dogs. There are other ppl around but you know I am the new person and most of these ppl have lived here 40 years. They speak but that is about it.