It was brought to my attention how an elderly person had recently fallen in her home and wasn’t found for a few days. This saddens me to hear this. I can’t imagine what she might have been thinking or feeling as she lay there, waiting for someone to come to her rescue.

It also saddens me because DICSA’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP, started a program in January that is specifically designed to prevent this from happening. KISS, or Keeping Independent Seniors Safe, is a FREE daily reassurance call to anyone 60 or older. We have volunteers who make phone calls 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday simply to “check in.” If the client is not reached by 1 p.m., then we would reach out to their contacts to check in on them. If we can’t reach one of their three contacts, we would reach out to an enforcement agency to do a wellness check.

Our hope is that this will help seniors remain in their home longer and feel a comfort knowing someone is checking in on them regularly. You don’t need to live alone to qualify for this program.

If you are a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s or any special need, you are also eligible. What if something were to happen to the caregiver? Let us take that stress away from you. Let us call you daily. Let’s make sure you’re safe.

If you would like to enroll or learn a little bit more about the program, you can reach out to the RSVP director, Kathy Arnold, at DICSA by stopping in at 1238 Carpenter Ave. in Iron Mountain or calling 906-774-2256, ext. 223, or by email at karnold@dicsami.org.

Don’t let another day go by without you, your loved one, neighbor or family member receiving a check-in phone call. Know that help is just a phone call away.