It’s nice to know the neighbors for a number of reasons, whether that’s “borrowing” an egg or a splash of milk while cooking or just making pleasant conversation. Some seniors have lived in the same neighborhood for many years and have a built in base of friends. Others may have recently moved and don’t know the neighbors. If that’s you, here’s a great reason to bake some cookies to give to the neighbors: Your Medical Alert Contact List.

During an emergency, neighbors that you know and trust are uniquely qualified to be at the top of your contact list. If you have fallen and don’t need medical attention but do need help up, your neighbor could be there in a minute or less! If you do have a medical emergency, neighbors can help the paramedics to gain entry to your home (whether they keep a spare key for you or simply know where it is). Oddly enough, some seniors who know their neighbors quite well leave them off of their list because they “don’t want to bother them.” Chances are your neighbors want to help! For most seniors, falls and emergencies happen infrequently. And just because the neighbor is on your list, does not mean that you are relying on them alone. You can have as many people as you need on your list of contacts. If we are unable to reach your neighbor during an emergency, we’d simply call the next contact for you…

So talk to your favorite neighbor about being on your list today. Or if you don’t know the neighbors, now is a great time to start making friends!