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Senior Issues Articles:
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eed of assistance, like Grace. Gatekeeper
is a nationwide program designed to assist vulnerable older people
who need help but may be unable to get it for themselves. The program
enlists the help of those who may have contact with the elderly
in the normal course of their jobs.
Grace was referred by Alagasco office assistant Dawn Wade, who discovered
that Grace was a World War II veteran and struggling financially.
“After
getting the referral, I called the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
and asked if they had a benevolence fund. They did and agreed to
pay her entire $1,465 bill, which included her utility bill and
the remaining balance on her furnace” said Kay Streets, Alagasco
Consumer Affairs Coordinator.
In
addition, information about Birmingham-area assistance agencies
was mailed to Grace.
All
Alagasco customer-contact employees like meter readers, collectors
and customer service representatives are trained to look for warning
signs that may indicate an older customer is in need of assistance.
Warning signs include unpaid bills, neglected lawns, confusion and
incoherent speech.
“In
the Gatekeeper program, we look for seniors who are isolated and
have no family members to help them,” Streets said. “They
just don’t know help is out there.”
Gatekeeper
has helped almost 700 Alagasco customers since the company began
participating in the program in 1987. Alagasco is the only Alabama
utility company participating in Gatekeeper.
If
an employee comes in contact with a customer who might need help,
he or she fills out a Gatekeeper referral form and sends it to the
division’s Gatekeeper referral person. The referral person
contacts a social service agency, like Positive Maturity, in an
attempt to get help for the customer.
“We
refer these people to an agency that can get them the help they
need,” Streets said. “The agency will send out a social
worker to make a home assessment and find out what services they
may need.”
Each
of Alagasco’s seven central Alabama divisions has a Gatekeeper
referral person. Streets is the Birmingham Division’s referral
person. Sometimes, she personally helps a customer referred in Gatekeeper.
In
November 2003, Streets received a Gatekeeper referral from a customer
service representative about an older woman who did not have the
money to fix her furnace.
“She
did not have heat and was sleeping in her coat,” Streets said.
“Her furnace was broken. She had others look at the furnace
and say she needed a new one, but she didn’t have the money
to buy it. I called our service department and they agreed to go
look at it. They found a minor problem with the representatives are trained to look for warning
signs that may indicate an older customer is in need of assistance.
Warning signs include unpaid bills, neglected lawns, confusion and
incoherent speech.
“In
the Gatekeeper program, we look for seniors who are isolated and
have no family members to help them,” Streets said. “They
just don’t know help is out there.”
Gatekeeper
has helped almost 700 Alagasco customers since the company began
participating in the program in 1987. Alagasco is the only Alabama
utility company participating in Gatekeeper.
If
an employee comes in contact with a customer who might need help,
he or she fills out a Gatekeeper referral form and sends it to the
division’s Gatekeeper referral person. The referral person
contacts a social service agency, like Positive Maturity, in an
attempt to get help for the customer.
e furnace’s control
panel and fixed it for her.”
Streets
said the woman was grateful for her help and they have since become
friends.
“She
called me the other day and said ‘I think about you every time
my furnace turns on,’” Streets said.
Through
the Gatekeeper Program, Alagasco employees are able to give back
to the community and lend a helping hand to senior citizens in need.
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