For years, the kitchen has been the heart of the home, and the refrigerator has been the place for treasured pictures and family communication. Practically every home in America has a fridge and, other than your cell phone, it’s probably the handiest place to keep needed emergency information at home. This is especially true when it comes to senior helplines.

If you’re a senior citizen, you may have experienced the frustration of trying to locate an important phone number that you happened to write down on a random piece of paper. Gathering resources to keep life flowing smoothly is vital. Losing the phone numbers to important helplines can be frustrating and, in some cases, life-threatening.

What Senior Helplines do I Need?

Deciding on which helplines are most important to you depends on your circumstances.  The senior helplines an independent person living alone may need could be considerably different from those needed by a senior living with family members or other supportive people.

Every household should have a medical helpline. Many clinics now have 24-hour call services to help their patients make the decision whether or not they need to be seen by the doctor. These telephone lines prevent unnecessary clinic visits. They also help motivate people to be seen by a doctor when they might be more inclined to stay home and ride out the illness or situation. In some instances, that choice could have devastating results.

Social Services Helplines, such as those offered by the Department of Elder Affairs, has a wealth of information and can help you access just about any resource you may need. If you have a particular service or organization you are currently working with, keeping their number on the fridge will save you time and frustration when you need to make a call.

Transportation helplines are convenient to have when you need a ride to the store or the doctor’s office. If there is a service you use regularly, keeping that number handy will be helpful, particularly if someone needs to make a call for you.

Friendship lines are an example of other senior helplines that could be vital in times of need. Seniors often get lonely, especially when they are living by themselves. There will be times when you just want a friendly voice to speak with. Many faiths have friendship or sunshine lines people can call for encouragement and friendship. If your church or house of worship has such a line, you may want to tap into it on those days when life is looking glum.

One last helpline that could be vital is a disaster preparedness line.  With the onslaught of storms, Floridians have faced in the past few months, knowing who to call in a weather emergency is vital. Getting prepared for a storm with advanced notification and resources to create a plan is one way to keep the panic level down should a serious storm arrive.

At Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, P.A., we are very aware of the importance of having current and relevant information available at a moment’s notice. When you have legal matters that require assistance, contact the caring lawyers at Frohlich, Gordon & Beason.