MOUNT OLIVE MESSENGER: Program will check on seniors, homebound
By Melinda Harrell
Published in News on July 6, 2017 10:02 AM
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News-Argus/MELINDA HARRELL
Mount Olive Chief of Police Tommy Brown announces a new department initiative in which staff will conduct wellness checks on homebound senior citizens, handicapped and disabled people.
Mount Olive Police Chief Tommy Brown announced a new department initiative Tuesday, June 28, that will serve as a check on homebound seniors, handicapped and disabled people.
The Because We Care program invites seniors and shut-ins within a 5-mile radius of Mount Olive to register for administrative personnel at the police department to call the household between Monday and Friday to do wellness checks.
"We have been waiting to do this program for a year," Brown said during the presentation of the program at the Mount Olive WAGES building.
Because We Care also offers a key-keeping program in which the participant gives a spare key to their home to the police department so law enforcement can check on them if the wellness calls are met with no response.
Brown said the police department will keep the keys in a secure place with only two officers having access to it per shift.
"I know how I would feel if I had to give someone my house key," he said to the WAGES group.
Brown explained the purpose of the key program is to avoid potential property damage when law enforcement officers are called to check on the shut-in by family members or friends.
He went on to explain the key program would allow police to access the home to make a check easier.
Brown said once the initial call was made and unanswered, the department would call again, and if that call is also unanswered, a "secondary contact" would be notified.
"Depending on the response, we would have someone at the residence to check on the senior within an hour at the most," Brown said.
Because We Care is expanded outside of the Mount Olive town limits to encompass the 5-mile territory that is going to be covered -- which includes Dudley and Faison -- the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and the Duplin County Sheriff's Office are collaborating with the police department.
Brown said in the beginning, the program was created for a more limited area, but he wanted to expand it to the five miles surrounding the town.
"(Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce and Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace) have no problem with that, and they would have the support with checking on seniors in the five-mile radius. They were very receptive to it," Brown said.
Brownie Doss, WAGES director of older adult services who also directs the Meals on Wheels program that service around 36 shut-ins in the Because We Care coverage area, said the program is valuable to the aging population.
"(Meals on Wheels) check(s) on them, and we do follow-ups and check, but having the key program would be great because we wouldn't have to destroy a door and window to get in," Mrs. Doss said.
"I think it is a great idea. I think this is a great addition to a service for seniors in Wayne County -- starting in Mount Olive."
Angelene Bryant, a senior at WAGES, was interested in the program after hearing Brown introduce it.
"I think it is an excellent program, and they should take advantage of it," she said. She lives outside of the coverage area for the Because We Care program, however.
"I have read of towns where this has worked well and a lot of seniors live alone and need that contact," Ms. Bryant said.
Brown said the safety of the senior population is one of his top priorities, which is why the police department is taking up the check-in initiative.
"Once we get this kicked off, hopefully other agencies will, too," he said.
"In the 26 years of my career, I have learned two things, we have to take care of our young'uns and our seniors."
Registration forms for the Because We Care program are available at the Mount Olive WAGES building and the Mount Olive Police Department. Because We Care will kick off in August after vacation season has concluded, Brown said.