Seniors in Georgetown have a new safety net when it comes to feeling assured and included. The Georgetown Police Department has, as part of its Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) program, a group called Silver Shields, which provides services to homebound citizens and a sense of security for those who live alone.
In the beginning they were called Silver Bells and they made calls to seniors at Christmas time. “When we renamed it ‘Shields,’ we felt it was more focused on all the things we could do with and for our seniors year-round. In cooperation with the police and fire departments, we provide safety materials, newsletters and education on scams to help people identify and handle a variety of situations independently. We also make safety and well-check calls; phone calls or visits at a certain time just to see how people are doing. We also do home inspections to look for things like fall risks and check fire alarms.”
The program is designed for seniors who live alone, or are homebound and perhaps have no family nearby to check on them. “We appreciate making people feel safe and secure in their own home,” Lipscomb says. “And it’s a great way to help people understand how police in our community work alongside our citizens.”
Silver Shields is not a community action agency like Meals on Wheels or Drive a Senior, but they do provide referrals to those and other social programs as needed. “We are not trying to duplicate or replace any of those great programs. Silver Shields provides a specific function for safety because that’s what we are good at.”
The program has finalized processes and procedures, so much of the Georgetown coverage area is in a “beta test phase.” Volunteers are being trained to manage areas in Georgetown and once they generate enough work data and refine the program, they will launch in additional areas through 2017. Lipscomb says the goal is to be prepared for any unique situation—as long as the resources are there, they will do whatever they can to help. “It’s all part of our support for the Department and continuing the community outreach programs.”
If you are interested in being a part of VIPS to expand coverage please contact Linda at GPD or Lex Shaw at 512-930-2747.
