On occasion I go to events called Senior Expos where vendors display a variety of products and services that benefit seniors.
At a recent event I learned about a FREE service where a resident can request a daily “Well Care” call from the 211 Sunshine Call organization.
This service is offered in many counties in Florida, including Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie County.
Many seniors, especially ones that live alone rely on a friend or family member to call them to make sure they are okay.
You can select anytime between 7:30am and 5:00pm when you would like to receive this call and can even request a call to be made to another friend or family member as well, as long as they have been given permission to receive a call.
Similar to other companies that offer this service, if you do not answer the call, the company will continue to call until you answer the call.
If you are not able to answer the 211 call, they will call one of your contacts that you have already provided to them to check on you if necessary.
If after 3 hours of multiple unsuccessful attempts to reach you, the local police will be contacted to make sure you are okay.
In order to qualify for this free service, you simply need to be at least 60 years old.
For those seniors that are housebound, disabled, or even an adult caregiver this service should prove to be very helpful.
Additionally, they are also looking for volunteers in South Palm Beach County to make calls.
If you are interested in this service, or wish to volunteer, please contact 211, or 561-383-1111 to get started. They can also be reached by email at [email protected]. The author of this Advice Column, Alan Arnold lives in Southwinds, Meridiana, La Paz, and has a seasonal rental in the Edgewater Estates.
