CARE (Call Reassurance) is a computerized calling system from Database Systems Corp. (DSC) that calls enrolled seniors and latchkey children on a daily basis to check on their well-being.

CARE systems are installed at many county sheriff's offices and local police departments where they are managed by dispatchers or by the communication departments within these organizations.

Enrollment of seniors into this program is usually done at the local level in cooperation with private community groups and with the local police departments.

Because individual police departments may not have sufficient budgets or resources to manage their own CARE phone system, the county sheriff's office is often the agency that provides these resources.

Contact DSC for a free analysis and quote and to learn more about our CARE call reassurance phone systems.

County sheriff's organizations often work with the local police departments and volunteer senior groups to provide a comprehensive telephone reassurance solution for their senior citizens.

Although each group has often managed telephone reassurance programs independently, the following demonstrates how a cooperative effort between both public safety organizations and private community service volunteers can be an effective solution to the home alone problems faced by some of our seniors and latchkey children.

County Sheriff's Office

County sheriff's offices such as Garland County manage telephone reassurance programs that provide security to all of the seniors within the borders of the county.

The counties provide the telephone reassurance phone systems and ensure the systems are operational and properly maintained. The systems are managed by dispatchers who are part of the communications division of the county. With the older telephone reassurance programs, dispatchers are required to respond directly to alerts generated by the system when a senior does not respond to a call.

The CARE phone system not only notifies the dispatcher but can also send the alerts directly to the senior center or to the local police departments without dispatcher intervention.

In many cases, the dispatchers will notify local police departments or volunteer groups when a senior does not respond. These groups attempt to contact the senior or will dispatch a police officer to the senior's home.

Local Police Departments

Police departments such as the City Of Pound Ridge provide a comprehensive telephone reassurance program that is managed and operated entirely by the local department.

However, smaller police departments or communities that have only a few seniors enrolled in their program can effectively work with the county sheriff's office to provide this service to their seniors as well. Police departments can enroll seniors through their community service department and collect information which is passed to the county for addition into their telephone reassurance phone system.

When a senior in their community does not respond to the telephone reassurance call, the police department is notified by the county and attempts to contact the senior by phone. If there is still no response, an officer is dispatched to the senior's home to check on the well-being of the individual.

Community Senior Centers

Many communities have organized senior centers (both privately and publicly funded) or senior services groups that provide telephone reassurance programs. Groups such as Area Agency on Aging, Faith in Action and Senior Corps RSVP programs are very active in promoting telephone reassurance volunteerism.

These groups work directly with the seniors who subscribe to these telephone reassurance programs. Senior groups canvass the community for eligible enrollees and assist them in subscribing to this service. Some groups provide volunteers who perform the actual calling. These groups work closely with the local police and fire departments who respond whenever an a senior does answer a call.

CARE helps non-profit organizations such as Oxford Park Commission R.S.V.P. operate telephone reassurance programs by automating this calling program and coordinating with their local senior volunteers.

Non-Profit Service Organizations

Other types of CARE organizations are not-for-profit groups that are both privately and publicly funded. These non-profits provide call reassurance programs for community members.

These groups work directly with the seniors who subscribe to these telephone reassurance programs. Community volunteers canvass the community for eligible enrollees and assist them in subscribing to this service. Some groups provide volunteers who perform the actual calling. These groups provide followup services or work closely with the local police and fire departments who respond whenever an a senior does answer a call.

CARE systems are employed by non-profit organizations such as the House Calls that provide telephone reassurance programs to senior citizens within communities. CARE systems automate this calling program and coordinate with community volunteers.

Contact DSC to learn more about our CARE telephone reassurance phone systems.