March 29, 2024
Letter

‘Vest Dressed for Safety’

Changing the clocks back to standard time means darkness will fall an hour earlier.

When our elderly or disabled neighbors and relatives go out to get their mail or newspapers or even just go for a walk this time of year, it is often done under pitch-black skies. Many times they must cross dangerous roads like Routes 15 and 9. Every year there are more accidents resulting in fatalities between cars and older people. Recently there was just such an incident in Waldo County.

This fall, in partnership with the Penobscot County TRIAD, Eastern Agency on Aging is promoting a new educational program called “Vest Dressed for Safety.” We want our active residents to be highly visible when going outdoors. We want residents to stay connected, engage in healthy outdoor activities and be safe. This will be accomplished by the wearing of reflective vests.

If you have a cherished elder or disabled neighbor or relative who must cross a busy road for the newspaper or mail, be aware they may not see or hear approaching traffic. Make sure they have reflective clothing, or other type of visibility- enhancing equipment to wearor put on their wheelchair before they venture outside.

If you need to find out how to get a lightweight reflective vest or other such equipment, or, if you want to help TRIAD and EAA provide these vests, wheelchair flags, etc., and would like to sponsor the program, please give me a call. EAA would like to be able to provide these items free of charge for residents who cannot afford to buy such extras for themselves.

And if you see someone walking and wearing a reflective vest, give them the thumbs-up sign. Eastern Maine needs to make a strong fashion statement for safety.

Noelle Merrill

Executive director

Eastern Agency

on Aging

Bangor


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