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Elderwatch

by Lt. Bob Chance

In the summer of 1986, because of a substantial increase in the number of crimes directed against the elderly, officers of the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Police Department met with various citizens groups to discuss possible solutions to this problem. Another area of concern expressed at these meetings was the fact that many elderly citizens were not receiving the help they needed because they lacked the information and resources to assist themselves. As a result, the Tulsa Police Department, in conjunction with several community service agencies, initiated Elderwatch, a program designed specifically for Tulsa's elderly citizens.

The goal of Elderwatch is to reduce crimes committed against the elderly and provide community services to improve their quality of life and to reduce their fear of crime. In order to reach the senior population, police officers and community service representatives visit the elderly in their homes, informing them of the program and what services are available to them.

ORIENTATION

Prior to initiating the program, the Tulsa Senior Services Outreach Agency, one of the community services group active in Elderwatch, sponsored a 2-day seminar for police officers to inform them of the available services and how to contact these services. The officers were also advised of the emotional and psychological aspects of aging that may affect the ways in which the elderly interact with others.

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Once the orientation was completed, the police department issued a press release to notify the public of the program's existence. The press release was also a means to advise senior citizens of the program's purpose and to inform them of the upcoming visits by police officers and community service representatives.

Then, police officers and volunteers set out on a door-to-door canvass of neighborhoods and apartment complexes having a high concentration of senior citizens. By going door to door, they were able to assess the living conditions of the elderly to determine if they were being neglected, exploited, or abused. They were also able to determine if an elderly citizen was in need of a particular service that was readily available through one of the various citizens groups.

In addition, the canvassers voluntarily offered to check the security of each residence, as well as to provide crime prevention tips. Through donated funds, they were able to see to it that deadbolt locks and other security devices were installed in those residences lacking the necessary security measures, if the senior citizen so desired.

Officers conduct the canvass in uniform, driving marked patrol units. Also, they are the ones who initiate conversations with the elderly; volunteers accompany the officers to help them answer questions and fill out forms. If an elderly person is found to have a specific problem, the officer or volunteer makes a notation on a preprinted checklist and then turns this form into the Elderwatch coordinator at the conclusion of the canvass.

It is the coordinator's responsibility to contact the appropriate agency and also to check back with the individual at a later date to ensure that any problem encountered has been resolved. The coordinator also forwards all Elderwatch reports to the police communications center and records the number of persons contacted and the number of referrals made.

ELDERWATCH FORMS

To complement the Elderwatch Program, the Tulsa Police Department developed a database to record information submitted voluntarily by senior citizens. Along with basic personal information (name, address, telephone number), the forms record the names of the individual's doctors and the hospitals with which they are associated; any chronic illnesses; and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of nearest relatives or neighbors and whether they have a key to the residence. The individual is also asked to note any assistance received from a social service agency.

These Elderwatch forms are either filled out by the police officer or volunteer during the door-to-door canvass or left with the individual to be mailed later to the police department. The completed forms are sent to the police department's Communications Division so that the information can be entered into the Computer Aided Dispatching System. Once entered into the database, this information can be retrieved and then provided to emergency service personnel if they are called to the residence to render assistance.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Recognizing it is impossible to reach everyone who needs assistance through a neighborhood canvass, a utility company offered to distribute over 4,000 ElderWatch forms with payment notices. Also, the forms, accompanied with a pamphlet explaining the program, were left at locations where the elderly frequent, such as churches, community centers, and nutrition sites.

Use of the media can keep the entire community informed of the program and gain support for it. Media coverage can generate an interest that would be difficult to achieve by any other means.

It is also important for the police department to develop a good working relationship with those agencies providing services to the elderly. Not only do they provide the materials for the information packages distributed to the elderly, but they offer invaluable assistance to officers when dealing with a specific problem that affects the elderly.

CONCLUSION

In every American city, no matter what the size, there is a segment of the elderly community that is in need of assistance. The Elderwatch Program, with its neighborhood canvasses, community involvement, and media coverage, helps the police department address the daily needs of many of Tulsa's elderly. The program has been able to give them a better quality of life by reducing crime and making them more secure in their homes and their neighborhoods.


Information on the Elderwatch Program was provided by Lt. Bob Chance of the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Police Department.

 
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