SABATTUS – For years Patrolman Gil Turcotte felt that elders in his community had been forgotten.
“Thanks for your 30 years of service, here’s your watch,” he said, jokingly comparing the relationship of society and seniors to that of a company and its retiree. “That’s just not the way it should be.”
So, when he had an opportunity to give something back, he leaped at the chance and started the Visitation for the Elderly Program.
He and other police officers visit elders to make sure they are taken care of and are not being scammed, Turcotte said.
“We talk about their personal problems or whatever it is that they want to talk about,” he said. “Even if that means just sitting with someone to let them know we’re here.”
The entire Sabattus Police Department is involved in the program, which has enrolled about 90 people since its inception two years ago. Each officer visits about 20 people per week, Turcotte said.
Sometimes, they ask for help.
“We try to get answers for them that they can’t find on their own,” he said. “And sometimes we inform them of services that they are not even aware of.”
For example, several farms in the state donate food to people over age 60 who are in need of assistance. “We’re just trying to get the word out to people,” Turcotte said.
In addition to home visits and crop donation the department hosts a summer barbecue and distributes small bags of goodies on certain holidays.
Last week, they tried something new: a group session with eight women at Pinecrest apartments complex. After the police distributed pocket-sized bags of Easter snacks, the women discussed travel concerns and expressed appreciation for the program.
“It’s nice to know that when we dial 911, cops will know right where we are because they are familiar with us,” said Muguette “Mickie” Madore, who declined to give her age.
Irene Longtin pointed out that police have collected medical records to equip them with fingertip access.
“For me that is very important,” she said.
For Sarah Trites, confined to a wheelchair most of the time, the program offers social contact. “The functions they hold let me meet new people,” she said.
Turcotte said he, too, is making friends. “This is a nice change of pace,” he said. “We get invited into their homes instead of breaking up a bar fight. That alone makes the day a little brighter.”
Mary Jane Caron, a playful lady with a sharp sense of humor, enjoys teasing the officers. “If they left I would miss them,” she said. “I love having these guys around, even if we do feed them too much.”
Turcotte is gratified by that kind of interaction. “It’s nice to just be a human being and not just a cop to these people,” he said.
The experience can also be touching, he said, such as when he hears the soft whispers of “Who’s that? Is that my cop?” as he makes his rounds.
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