Seniors safety program grows

The P.E.I. Seniors Safety Program is expanding to cover more of the province.

The program had been operating in Kings and Queens counties, and has now expanded into Prince County.

President Olive Bryanton says the program seeks to protect seniors from scam artists as well as assist them with their health problems.

"A senior can call the co-ordinator and ask them to bring some information on personal safety or their home security," says Bryanton. "They will introduce them to how to protect themselves from frauds and scams or an unscrupulous salesperson who comes to their home."

Another piece of the program is called the vial of life, a system for informing emergency workers about the health problems they should be aware of when responding to a call at the home of a senior.

"It's a pill bottle, and within that is a form that has all important information about their health," says Bryanton. "It will be in the fridge on the upper shelf of the fridge door, and there will be a sticker on the fridge saying they have a vial of life. So the emergency personnel just needs to look at the fridge. If they see the vial of life sticker then they will immediately go check it out and it will give them an indication of why that person is unconscious."

The program is open to any person over the age of 50.