TRIAD willing to offer programs to keep seniors safe

TRIAD is not an acronym. It is a community-based partnership involving law enforcement, seniors or senior organizations and community members who are all dedicated to keeping seniors safe. Virtually every city and town in Pinal County has a TRIAD; Special Assistant to the County Attorney Bob Brown, speaking to the Public Safety committee last week, hopes Maricopa will start a TRIAD of its own.

“The whole purpose of TRIAD is to protect and end the isolation of seniors,” noted Brown. “You can’t take advantage of seniors if they’re not isolated.”

According to Brown, need dictates the formation of a local TRIAD. “You need 12-15 seniors to start,” he explained, “but it is not limited to senior volunteers.” Brown explained that, initially, a survey would ask seniors about their concerns. The TRIAD would be designed to meet those needs. Triad councils meet monthly to identify seniors’ problems, adjusting the program to address local issues.

TRIAD programs include:

Telephone reassurance: volunteers contact seniors each morning between 7 and 9 a.m.; if there is a problem or no response, a patrol car is dispatched to check on the individual.

Handyman/ home assistance: volunteers fix leaking toilets, change light bulbs, and even unstick doors. Their help may mean the difference between a senior remaining in their home or being moved into an assisted living facility.

Home alone kits: pendants or calling devices to bring help when a senior falls.

Refrigerator magnet cards: provide visible medical information and a medications list for emergency service personnel who may be called to treat seniors.

9-1-1 cell phones: used cell phones with no service except to call 9-1-1; distributed to seniors who cannot afford a phone.

Senior Resource Center: located in Florence and staffed by volunteers who aid seniors in finding resources to understand governmental matters, including benefits.

Educational programs: deal with topics such as Internet safety, heat-related safety issues, scams against seniors and disaster preparedness. Brown explained that only those able to care for themselves could go to Red Cross shelters. “Frail and fragile seniors are not going there,” he said.

Older Americans make up the most rapidly growing segment of the nation’s population. Increased life expectancy is leading to new issues and problems; many communities are experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of older persons reporting Internet, telephone and home improvement scams and other types of victimization, as well as calls for service.

Nationally, TRIAD began in 1988, with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) partnering to reduce victimization and fear for older citizens. In Pinal County the Sheriff’s Office, the Pinal County Attorney’s office and the Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens are the partnering entities.

TRIAD enriches and improves the quality of life for seniors. It opens communication between older citizens and public safety personnel while allowing active seniors to help others. “When a lot of people help a little,” affirmed Brown, “a lot gets done.”

If you would be interested in volunteering, or if you know of a senior who would benefit from TRIAD support, contact Brown via email, or by phone at (520) 866-6243 or (520) 705-0712.