RUOK
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RUOK is a telephone reassurance program offered by many local U.S. and Canadian communities that contacts elderly or handicapped residents on a daily basis by phone. These residents subscribe to this service, usually through community organizations such as the police or fire departments, and are called to ensure their well being. RUOK programs are provided and managed by volunteers or provided using an automated phone dialing system. The service is helpful to community members without nearby friends and family, or to individuals who need temporary monitoring during times when they have limited mobility.
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[edit] History
Traditionally, volunteers from a community would call homebound elderly or handicapped residents to check on their well being. Some communities provide additional "friendly chat" as well as this reassurance. This service is also referred to as Telephone Reassurance by some communities. RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) is a Senior Corps program that provides many services including RUOK calling programs. This service is provided through its network of senior volunteers such as the Oxford Park Commission (R.S.V.P) RUOK program for seniors [1]. Other communities such as Clifton Park, New York manage an all volunteer RUOK program where individuals volunteer to help the elderly by calling them at home [2].
During his Senate Judiciary Committee testimony regarding senior issues, Mr. James Wright, the director of TRIAD who was representing the National Sheriff's Association, specifically singled out and identified R.U.O.K as a local needs program "where shut-in seniors, or seniors with limited mobility are contacted each day by senior volunteers, simply to ascertain if they are okay."[3]
[edit] I'M OK senior call service
Several police and sheriff's organizations perform a reverse RUOK function where seniors call the department's dispatch center to check-in on a daily basis. This service is often called I'm OK. If the call is not received by the dispatcher, the dispatch center will call the senior's residence. If there is no answer, the center initiates an alert and an officer is dispatched to the senior's home.
This type of service has the advantage that seniors have more flexibility in their daily schedules. They can call any time of day up to the cutoff period, which is usually late in the day.
The City of Farmville, North Carolina, offers such a service and call it their R.U.O.K phone service [4].
[edit] Technology
More communities are now providing an automated telephone reassurance program that uses an autodialer to call the homebound resident and checks to ensure that an individual answers the phone. Some of these systems include an IVR that allows the call recipient to provide a positive response to the phone call to ensure their well being. If the call is not answered, the system can automatically call a family member (if available) or a community service organization such as the police or fire department.
- Northland Innovation Corporation is one of the pioneers of this automated service. They are the developers of the Are You OK?® system. This technology dates back to the late 1980's and is currently available only in its updated version for the Windows XP operating system.
- Database Systems Corp. is the developer of the (CARE) Telephone Reassurance system. This product was introduced in 2005 and uses a modern Windows PC with computer telephony boards from Intel. This system is capable of making multiple calls simultaneously, while also placing alert calls to family members, community volunteers or response centers. CARE system can also initiate emergency notification calls to community members, the elderly, and emergency response teams. The CARE system includes an IVR feature that automatically answers I'm OK calls from seniors, allowing them to check-in each day rather than waiting for the RUOK call.
[edit] Telephone reassurance operation
Most community based telephone reassurance programs are free to residents. Many state and private organizations provide funding for such programs.
Garland County, Arkansas, provides one such telephone reassurance program (CARE) for its senior citizens. The following is a quote from the Sheriff of this county:
"...Thursday, one of the people in my program did not answer her phone. A uniform unit was dispatched and she was found incapacitated and had to be transported to the hospital where she was placed in intensive care. We don't know what's wrong with her and certainly the hospital will not share that information, but what we do know is that the program worked and alerted us when she did not answer her phone..." - Sheriff Larry Sanders, Garland County [Garland County Senior Care]
[edit] Resources
- Telephone reassurance providers U.S. national directory of communities providing automated and volunteer based reassurance services
[edit] References
- The Oxford Park Commission. "RUOK program for seniors", Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Retrieved on December 25, 2006.
- Clifton Park, New York. "RUOK? Volunteers 2005", CliftonPark.org News and Events, 2005-04-10. Retrieved on December 26, 2006.
- Mr. James Wright, Director of TRIAD. "Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation: Are We Doing Enough?", U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, September 24, 2003. Retrieved on January 18, 2007.
- City of Farmville, North Carolina. "R.U.O.K. Police Department special service for our elderly", Farmville Police Department. Retrieved on March 4, 2007.
- Are You OK?® is a federal trademark owned by Bruce L. Johnson (Northland Innovation Corporation)
