Volunteers Checking on Nutley Seniors

Nutley volunteers are calling to check that senior citizens who live alone are safe and well.

The Senior Call program uses trained volunteers to place daily telephone calls to check on the well being of Nutley senior citizens aged 65 or older who live alone and register for the calls, according to Commissioner Steven Rogers.

"The program is intended for seniors who live alone, or have little or no contact with others on a daily basis," Rogers said in a statement.

Calls will be made Monday through Saturday throughout the day, he said.

Family, friends, social workers, clergy, and other organizations serving the needs of the elderly can refer participants, Rogers said.

The program aims to include those senior citizens who may not have friends or family, who may not be able to get out of the house easily, or those who could benefit from knowing that someone in the community cares about their well being, he said.

"Many seniors live alone and don’t interact with anyone, sometimes for weeks," Rogers said. “Anything we can do to promote the well being of our older residents, who have given so much to Nutley, we want to do.”

Some seniors have become ill without anyone knowing, Rogers said, and he wants this program to allow a friendly way of asking how seniors are doing, and then provide any assistance.

Nutley has two separate senior citizen housing complexes, both located near the high school and town hall, and has continued to look for ways to improve services to older residents, Rogers said.

The Recreation Department has a long list of senior citizen-focused services as well, according to Commissioner Mauro Tucci, who directs Nutley’s recreation programs.

For more information and to apply for this program, contact the Nutley Department of Public Affairs at 973-284-4976.