Issue 99 - Nasho Front Page

THE FALLEN
If you had an accident at home, is there anyone else in the house or neighbours who would hear
you calling for help
This was brought home to me recently when the
daughter of the house rang for help because the old
man next door had fallen over and she couldn’t get
him up.
Luckily, she lives only a suburb away so I was
there in 10 minutes. The old man had been
shopping and was putting his groceries in the fridge
when he slipped. We don’t know how long he lay
there before he pulled himself towards the door and
she heard his cries.
The old man lives alone and has terminal cancer.
The ambulance insisted on taking him to hospital
for a check-up. We will not go into the fact there is
an old man who is dying and there is no help for
him – no place to go and no relatives to take him in.
One day not too long away he will not return from
hospital or will be found dead.
My point is that all of us should institute a watch
system where a family member or other rings at
least once a day. Another option is the panic button
which you push for immediate help or if you don’t
answer, someone comes to investigate.
Any fall at our age is serious and we will be lucky
if all we do is cut or bruise ourselves, let alone
broken arms, legs or hips. I’ve had one flight down
the steps ending in two broken ribs and one swandive
out of the bath so now I shower only.
Our days of leaping over walls with a pack and rifle
are long gone. So when the family asks you what
would you like for your birthday, Dad, call in all the
outlays you made on them over the years and ask
for a Home Watch system. It well could be the
difference between life and death.
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