Mini Research Project#2

 USPS "CARRIER ALERT" PROGRAM

    The United States Postal Service has a program designed to take care of elderly people that are living alone in their own homes.  This program has saved many elderly that have no one to look in on them and were in need of help.  The mission statement is, "The Carrier Alert Program is a Gatekeeper type program making use of the regular, daily presence of letter carriers to watch for signs that something is out of the ordinary with the elderly especially elderly persons living alone."

     This program is available nationwide, with every letter carrier participating in the program.   Some of the services offered are:  Carrier Alert Symbol placed in the person's mailbox; Carriers notify the agency where senior is registered or report to their postal supervisors; Social Service Agency will try to contact the elderly person; and Social Service Agency will send a worker to the residence. 
     As a letter carrier, it has been my experience that before Social Service is called however, the letter carrier will attempt to contact the elderly person.  Many have the phone numbers of the closest relative and will contact that person.  Some have permission to enter and know which door is open or where a key is hidden. 
     I myself have several women and one man that I've looked in on.  They are wonderful people, very lonely and look forward to seeing their carrier every day.  They know what their carriers day off is, the exact time they will be arriving and make it difficult to continue the rounds because they love to stop and talk.  Some like me will take their charge to shop for groceries, do chores around their homes, or drive them to their doctor's appointments.  Three have my personal phone number and my permission to call should they need anything.
     The webpage, http://www.programsforelderly.com/safety-carrier-alert-usps.php has a link to Elder Abuse Prevention Programs that contains 54 different links to every imaginable need a person requires.  Also a video of "Victims of Family Elder Abuse Speak Out" is located on this link.  There are also other links on this master page for senior check in service: Emergency Response, Driver and Senior Transportation, General Senior Safety, Home Modification, and Home Repair Assistance for Elderly.  There is also a video showing an award ceremony for honored letter carriers.
     It is also just as easy to contact your local Post Office and inquire about the Carrier Alert Program.  While this is an official program the Postal Service offers, many letter carriers take it upon themselves to get involved without the person officially registering in the program.  The sticker in the mailbox is helpful to those carriers substituting on the route, but many may have it annotated in their route books.  Also there are carrier alert cards cased in that alert substitute carriers on the route to be on the lookout for things out of the ordinary.  Those things may include a buildup of mail, no snow removal, something amiss around the area of the box to indicate the elderly person has not been out in a while.  Many letter carriers across the country that have earned service awards for saving a person's life.