The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is starting a program to help the elderly feel less isolated while the country and county deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senior Wellness Check is a free service being coordinated by local law enforcement. Volunteers will regularly check in on participants by phone, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
“Being alone and isolated is one of the greatest fears of older adults. The Senior Wellness Check allows older adults who live alone to have comfort and security in the knowledge that someone is checking in on them on a regular basis,” the release says.
Volunteers will be paired with seniors who sign up for the program. They will call to check on the seniors at a time and frequency mutually agreed upon.
If contact is not made after three attempts and an emergency contact cannot be reached, law enforcement will be dispatched to perform a welfare check, the sheriff’s office said.
Participating agencies include Vancouver, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield and Washougal police departments.
The sheriff’s office said the program was prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and should “provide a means of contact for our most vulnerable population, but it will be an ongoing service.”
Older adults who live alone and are residents of Clark County, except for residents within the city limits of Camas, need to fill out an application to receive the service. Applications can be requested from the sheriff’s office Outreach Unit at 564-397-3380 or by email at sheriffcommunityoutreach@clark.wa.gov.
