Sheriffs bond with seniors

By Pamela Glason Thornton
Staff Writer
Union County Post

Law enforcement personnel and residents of Union County care about the elderly. The sheriffs have been awarded for initiatives established to promote the well-being of the seniors. Awarded for the delivery of outstanding service, the sheriff’s department has a special connection with senior citizens.
The Outstanding Service to Seniors Award, which is awarded to an area group that “uniquely” benefits older adults, went to the Union County Sheriffs’ Department. The Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA) applauds the leadership and creativity of the law enforcement officials who have made it their duty to show concern for residents. By spotlighting a selected group or organization, COAAA strives to include often-overlooked members of the population.
At the awards program, Cindy Farson, director of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, the presenting organization, said, “The Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging is honored to present Sheriff Rocky Nelson, Deputy Kim Zacharias and the entire office with the 2007 Outstanding Service to Seniors Award.”
The office was nominated in part due to Project Lifesaver, a rapid response program to locate people who wander from caregivers because of impairments such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Project Lifesaver has repeatedly been successful in locating missing persons across the United States suffering from dementia. Public safety agencies are working together as a nationwide team to locate missing persons. The funding for this project is provided by personal, social clubs, and corporate donations. Union County was one of the first in the central Ohio area to implement this program.
Senior Watch, a program provided by the sheriff’s office to check on seniors, includes two parts – a daily phone call to the senior to check on their well-being, and as the second part, a Deputy Sheriff visits the senior, depending on the senior’s needs.
“ Sheriff Rocky Nelson truly cares about our seniors. His attitude is reflected by his staff in their service to our community,” concluded Union County Council on Aging Executive Director Dick Douglass.
Other safety enhancements initiated by the sheriff’s department also include Emergency Beacons and Address Signs. The senior receives an adapter for the front porch light to signal first responders in case of an emergency and a reflective green address sign, to assist in locating their residence. The materials used with these programs were purchased with an Ohio Criminal Justice Grant.
Several outstanding programs that provide extra monitoring and open doors to care have been established by the sheriff’s department. One gives emergency cell phones to seniors. Emergency-only wireless telephones are provided free of charge by the office to senior citizens in Union County. The telephones can only call 9-1-1 and are to be used for an emergency situation.
Seniors also receive extra attention through daily well-check phone calls and there is also a program where the sheriffs partner with the Union County Council on Aging to educate seniors on issues that directly affect them such as safety and fraud.
The sheriff’s department extends its support by teaching self-defense classes, helping with senior functions like serving pancakes on Senior Day at the Union County Fair, and partnering with the local Catholic church to deliver Christmas gifts to local homebound seniors.
“ The sheriff’s office takes a personal interest in each senior they serve. We have a wonderful partnership here in Union County,” said Douglass.
Many of the life-saving efforts have gone unnoticed. However, it cannot be overlooked that the efforts of the sheriff’s department make the area a better place to live. For these reasons, the department was recognized by the aging organization.
Cindy Farson is currently the director of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging. The agency’s mission is to plan, coordinate and advocate for the development and delivery of services for older adults, families and the community. Through leadership, funding and education, the agency supports individual choice, independence and dignity. To learn more about COAAA, call 1-800-589-7277 or go to the website, www.coaaa.org.
Past award recipients were recognized as a result of exceptional intergenerational activities, volunteer activities, charitable projects, and mentoring programs.
The COAAA includes a volunteer advisory council that is comprised of volunteer applicants who represent the interests of older adults within specific communities and advise COAAA on services, policies and programs. The council meets eight times a year at the agency’s office in downtown Columbus and positions vary by term ending date. There are currently no vacancies on the Union County Advisory Council but applications to fill open COAAA advisory council positions are being taken. To request a volunteer application or additional information on advisory council membership and how to assist the senior citizen population, please contact the Advisory Council Coordinator at 1-800-589-7277. The current deadline for volunteer council applications is Friday, November 2, 2007.