A knock on the door by a deputy is nothing to fear in one South Carolina county. Through the R.U.O.K. Program, which stands for “Are You OK?”, the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office and Colleton County Fire-Rescue are making house calls, providing welfare checks on elderly residents who live alone.
According to WCSC News in Charleston, the program can help prevent a simple fall or medical episode from turning into a life-threatening situation.
Every morning, seniors receive a call from dispatch. If they do not answer or respond appropriately to the automated message, then a deputy is sent to the home to check on them. If there is a medical situation, Fire-Rescue will be called. This early intervention is important because many of these senior residents live 20-30 miles from the closest hospital.
Council of Seniors Wants to Support Older Americans
The Council of Seniors strives to support seniors in staying healthy, physically and financially.
We are working diligently to get Congress to passThe SAVE Benefits Act. This crucial bill will put $581 back in retirees’ pockets to make up for Social Security cost-of-living adjustments that were far too low for years.
Sign our petition today to support our efforts. Congress has ignored the growing number of seniors expecting action for way too long.