A couple of weeks ago, I was out running some errands. My husband had been working on our Jeep, changing out a thermostat because it was overheating. He went to give it a short test drive in our neighborhood and he saw an elderly woman lying on the sidewalk, on her back. It was around 80 degrees that day and she was wearing a coat, which is typical for many elderly women, overdressing for the temperature outside and inside their homes.
She had two large bags (purses) she was carrying. He pulled over to see what was wrong and she said she was okay and just wanted him to help her stand up again. He lifted her carefully, as he had experience with his own mother who was thin and fragile, but she swayed and was not able to stand on her own. He ended up moving her onto a lawn in the shade until he could get her help. It was unclear where she lived or where she was going, but he knew she couldn't be left lying there alone.
He didn't have a cellphone with him, so he started ringing people's doorbells, starting with the house where the woman was on the lawn in the shade. He said it sounded like he heard kids in the house, but nobody answered the bell. After a couple of other houses, a man came out and talked to him about the woman. She wasn't familiar, he called 911 and they took her in to make sure she was alright, and would contact someone who may be related or help her.
They told my husband not to worry, that she would be okay and they had many calls like that on a daily basis, it was confirmed that she was 90 years old. Elderly folks that wander off, get confused and have a medical episode (or fall) in a public place. This isn't the first time he's helped older folks in trouble, and we felt good that she was taken care of. Harsh reminder of what may happen to any of us in the future. I hope if I'm in trouble like that, someone will help. He would have happily given her a ride home, if he knew where she lived, he didn't want to invade her privacy by going through her purse or pockets.
Has anyone here had something like this happen to them, or did you have to help someone elderly who was in need?
She had two large bags (purses) she was carrying. He pulled over to see what was wrong and she said she was okay and just wanted him to help her stand up again. He lifted her carefully, as he had experience with his own mother who was thin and fragile, but she swayed and was not able to stand on her own. He ended up moving her onto a lawn in the shade until he could get her help. It was unclear where she lived or where she was going, but he knew she couldn't be left lying there alone.
He didn't have a cellphone with him, so he started ringing people's doorbells, starting with the house where the woman was on the lawn in the shade. He said it sounded like he heard kids in the house, but nobody answered the bell. After a couple of other houses, a man came out and talked to him about the woman. She wasn't familiar, he called 911 and they took her in to make sure she was alright, and would contact someone who may be related or help her.
They told my husband not to worry, that she would be okay and they had many calls like that on a daily basis, it was confirmed that she was 90 years old. Elderly folks that wander off, get confused and have a medical episode (or fall) in a public place. This isn't the first time he's helped older folks in trouble, and we felt good that she was taken care of. Harsh reminder of what may happen to any of us in the future. I hope if I'm in trouble like that, someone will help. He would have happily given her a ride home, if he knew where she lived, he didn't want to invade her privacy by going through her purse or pockets.
Has anyone here had something like this happen to them, or did you have to help someone elderly who was in need?
Poor woman.
