The Lifeline program is vital in a community such as ours where senior’s housing is limited
Providing a “Lifeline” to those who need and deserve it the most
Imagine you were alone in your own home and you slipped and you fell. In most cases, you can pick yourself up with not a single injury or bruise in sight. However, for seniors, this is not always the case. A simple fall can have devastating consequences. And that’s why the RBC Burns Lake branch and the Burns Lake Rotary Club are working together to give peace of mind for seniors or those living at risk while living independently in their own homes.
RBC has partnered with the Lifeline program and the local Rotary Club to bring this service to the Burns Lake community. Lifeline is a service which provides immediate assistance to seniors in emergencies, with just one touch of a button, seniors are connected to emergency personnel instantly. In order to obtain this service, seniors are referred to either by a home support worker, their doctor, or word of mouth. Once they receive the referral, they or a family member, will go to the RBC Burns Lake Branch or a branch employee will go to the home, to help complete the required paperwork.
“We have been involved in the Lifeline Program for approximately twelve years,” explains Michelle Dyble, RBC branch manager for Burns Lake. “A local Rotarian installs the unit and everything else is done at the branch. We store the units, replacement parts, look after the paperwork, and act as a liaison between Lifeline and the Burns Lake Rotary Club”.
Currently, seventeen seniors use this valuable service in the Burns Lake and Houston area; furthermore, over the last twelve years, this service has allowed approximately 240 seniors to live independently. While seniors are responsible for the cost of the unit and service, veterans receive a discount.
“Seniors can connect with Lifeline anywhere in their home or in their yard,” explains Anna Marie Racicot of Northern Help. “With a push of a button….help is on the way.”
Terri Dickson, President of the Rotary Club of Burns Lake, attributes the success of Lifeline in the region to the RBC branch. “The branch in Burns Lake serves as a central contact for both clients and Rotarians, which allows the program to be delivered seamlessly.”
“The Lifeline program is vital in a community such as ours where senior’s housing is limited”, Dickson explains.
For seniors like Betty Hart, a Lifeline Participate since March 2010, Lifeline provides a sense of freedom and security that seniors don’t often have.
“The Lifeline service makes me feel more secure about being independent,” explains Hart. “It is so nice to have a group of volunteers at RBC to call if I have needs or questions,”
For more information about this valuable service, contact RBC, Burns Lake 250-692-5750 or visit the branch at 354 Yellowhead Highway