Seniors And 911: Reduce Nonessential 911 Calls

Recent research from the Washington Post found that nonessential 911 calls from seniors had increased by 30% to 40%, particularly for seniors living in nursing homes or senior living facilities.

While 911 is an invaluable service for those in an emergency, spikes in nonessential calls drain the system’s resources. 

Teaching Senior Loved Ones How To Identify Nonessential 911 Calls

Senior health, safety, and well-being are top priorities for everyone in first-responder roles, so many communities are creating versions of Senior Safety: 911 Education Programs to help our aging community understand the differences between essential and nonessential 911 calls.

There are several reasons seniors call 911 for non-essential concerns, which can range from general confusion about emergency and non-emergency scenarios to heightened fear/paranoia resulting from cognitive decline. Lack of a social support network also increases the chances of aging adults contacting 911 for concerns that a network of caregivers can address.

Here are some of the things we go over with our clients and their families when we’re hired to provide in-home support or additional companionship or care in a nursing home or care facility).  

Provide a clear list of emergency (essential) reasons to call 911

Sometimes, seniors forget that 911 is for more severe emergencies, and so calling the number becomes a knee-jerk reaction if they’re scared, anxious, confused, or don’t feel they have anyone else who can help them.

Post a list on the refrigerator or somewhere visible stating which situations are essential. An example would include things like:

• Chest pains or trouble breathing.
• Diabetic emergencies.
• Bleeding that won't stop.
• Falling down and being unable to get up or having severe pain moving.
• Heart attack or stroke signs or symptoms.
• Smelling smoke or natural gas in your home.
• Seeing smoke or fire, no matter how small.
• Seeing someone suspicious outside your home.
• Hearing strange noises inside or outside your home.
• Anytime you feel your safety is at risk.

This provides a clear place for confused or anxious seniors to look before deciding whether they should call 911 or someone else.

Why have they been making nonessential 911 calls?

If you’ve found this article because your loved one has a history of calling 911 or for nonessential reasons, it’s time to learn more about that and see if there are general themes. 

Some of the most common reasons seniors make nonessential 911 calls for nonemergency situations include:

• They get lost or confused about where they are or how to get home.
• Falling and being unable to get up**
• Having physical discomfort that isn’t going away like a bad headache or upset stomach.
• Not understanding how to take their medication.
• Inability to transfer from their wheelchair/walker to the bathroom or another room in the house.

All of these are signs that your loved one needs more support if they want to live independently in their home. 

**Of course, if this happens once, it makes sense to call 911. But for many seniors, the inability to get up after falling or being on the floor becomes a repeat issue, and that is a sign that they require more support or assistance.

Ensuring they have the support network they need

Feelings of loneliness and social isolation are also factors in non-essential 911 call data. The majority of seniors who call 911 (some of whom even call and admit they feel lonely and want someone to talk to) live alone. Their family members live far away, or the senior acknowledges they feel like their family is too busy and doesn’t want to inconvenience them.

Putting a senior support team in place can make all the difference. This may include any combination of:

• Family members who rotate daily phone calls or visits.
• Neighbors, family friends, or church members willing to check in regularly or take solo-living seniors on outings occasionally.
• Ensuring they have transportation support to get where they want to go, including outings with friends, social engagements, clubs, organization meetings, etc.
• Professional caregivers who check in weekly, multiple times a week, or more provide seniors with support, assistance, and care as needed.
• A circle of people willing and available to be part of the “Call Me First” list if seniors experience concerns that aren’t on the 911 Essential Calls list.

Provide additional companionship/assistance at their senior home

Perhaps one of the saddest pieces of information from the Washington Post piece about seniors and nonessential 911 calls was that many of the nonessential 911 calls were made by seniors who had fallen and couldn’t get help from the staff at their senior care facility or nursing home.

This is by no means a slight on those facilities. Since the pandemic, nursing homes and assisted living facilities have been inadequately staffed because they struggle to find qualified employees, and turnover is high. That said, inadequately staffed facilities mean our senior loved ones have to wait far too long for some of their basic needs to be met—like being helped off the floor after a fall. 

One way around this is to hire a local homecare agency and ask about private companion and care services for seniors in care facilities. Our daily or weekly check-ins, attention, and services can make a tremendous difference in making your loved one feel attended to and cared for. Plus, we’re your eyes and ears on the ground, and we can sound the alarm if we feel anything amiss in their care.

HomeAide Home Care Prevents The Need For Nonessential 911 Calls

Working with a local homecare agency is one of the best ways to avoid nonessential (and many essential) 911 calls from senior loved ones. HomeAide Home Care offers a wide range of services that support seniors who prefer to age in place and those who live in senior facilities so they can be both safe and independent.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help. Our free, in-home assessments require no obligation from you and can serve as an insightful learning tool for creating a long-term age-in-place plan that keeps aging loved ones safe, active, and secure.