Trail Gatekeeper Program: Who are Gatekeepers?
An apartment house manager phoned Gatekeepers concerning a 72-year-old single male who was becoming isolated and "forgetful." He recently had a small fire in his apartment when he forgot an aluminum pot on the stove.
A bank teller phoned Gatekeepers concerned about an 83-year-old customer who had came to the bank demanding to withdraw funds from an account he had closed only two days prior. He refused to believe the evidence they produced and accused the bank of stealing his money.
The BC Assessment office called Gatekeepers after one of the property appraisers, while appraising the residence of a 66-year-old widowed woman who lived alone, was told by her, "I just want to lie down and never get up."
A customer contact supervisor from BC Hydro called expressing concern for a 79-year-old female customer living alone in a one-bedroom home. She had been a customer for over 40 years and paid her utility bill faithfully, except that she had failed to pay for the past two months. When contacted by them on the phone she sounded "very confused" and unable to comprehend the nature of the problem.
A postal carrier from Canada Postal Service phoned concerning an elderly man of unknown age and living alone whose mail had been accumulating in his mailbox for three days. No one answered the door when the mail carrier knocked.
The police department phoned regarding a man in his 80's who, at 3:00 am the previous night, experienced an episode of confusion and went walking outside with only his undershorts on. This frightened a babysitter in the neighborhood, who called the police. The man was returned home to his wife.
All of these referral sources have something in common. They are all participants in the Gatekeeper Program. Gatekeepers are employees of corporations, businesses and other organizations that have contact with the most isolated in our community.
The Gatekeeper system that originated in Spokane may include:
- Residential property appraisers
- Apartment and mobile home court managers and owners
- Telephone company personnel
- Police, ambulance, and fire department
- Utilities personnel
- Postal carriers
- Pharmacies
- Bank personnel
- Meter readers, credit office workers, and repair personnel
- Other electrical utilities
- Other energy retailers, such as fuel dealers
Gatekeepers in rural areas have their own unique mix of potential Gatekeepers, which can include:
- Mail and newspaper carriers
- Utility companies
- Telephone company personnel
- Ministers
- Hairdressers and barbers
- Handi Dart, taxi and bus drivers
- Grocery store clerks, etc
- Restaurant and coffee house personnel
- Service club members
YOU!!
