In Louisville, KY, Jake, a trash collector, noticed that an elderly customer on his route hadn’t put any trash out for two weeks, so he decided to check on her. He asked Bernice, the office dispatcher, to call the customer. Bernice discovered that the 90-year-old woman had run out of food and had no way to go shopping, so there was no trash. She has no family, and had reached out to no one.
Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. Jake got a shopping list from her and delivered the goods. The cost was reimbursed by his company, Hometown Hauling, which reports that it is now regularly checking on all of its elderly customers to make sure they have what they need or know how to get help. (Read more and see an interview here.)
In this time of the pandemic, isolation of older people is an ever greater concern. EngAGE is actively checking in with the seniors we serve, making sure that fresh food delivery continues, and that our programs are available in their new, virtual format.
In both the UK and France, programs were already in place that get postal delivery people involved in checking on their customers. Is that something the U.S. might consider? Or are there other ways that we can ensure no one goes unnoticed until there’s an emergency? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
