This year has been tough on a lot of people. The Sheriff’s Office is not an exception. But we know that one of our programs which was hugely successful will continue into 2021 because it is needed in our very rural part of Maine. The Elder Check program serves seniors living in far-flung parts of Franklin County. Sheriff’s Deputies patrol an area the size of Rhode Island and at times are over an hour apart in the same county. Our elder check-in program is critical to seniors who live in these remote areas alone, often without family even in the state. It was clear to me just how important this program was one night when I was patrolling and got a life alert call that an elderly man, a World War II veteran had fallen. When I arrived, the man who lived alone had fallen in his driveway and he was still there. He was okay, but it was a reminder of just how critical it is to check in on our seniors who have given so much.
The elder check-in program isn’t there just for emergencies. Seniors sign up and our Deputies physically check in on them once a week. Sometimes it’s a conversation with them, a check to make sure they have food, or that they can still take care of themselves. For the Sheriff’s Office, this is about community and we are glad to play our part in taking care of our residents. We wish you all the best in the New Year and we are here if you need us – young, older, and anyone in between.
Sheriff Scott Nichols
