Serving Seniors

The City of Royal Oak has made no secret of the fact that it’s working hard to create a community where its seniors can “age in place”. This means many things, like upgrading infrastructure, improving emergency call response times and providing information and services that most benefit its oldest residents.

To that end, the department has brought back a program designed to help Royal Oak’s seniors – both medically, and in other ways, too.

Once a month, Assistant Fire Chief Mike Gladieux stops by the Mahany Meininger Senior Center (3500 Marais Avenue), where he spends a few hours checking seniors’ blood pressure, and answering any other questions they may have – if he can. (You probably want to save your tax and insurance questions for the qualified experts, Gladieux said). Residents can also stop by Station 1 (215 E. Sixth Street) for a blood pressure check as well.


Lockboxes

Along with health checks, firefighters also want to remind residents about its lockbox service. This program is geared toward seniors, those living alone or those with chronic health conditions. The department does not provide the lockboxes, but residents can pick them up at Frentz Hardware at (1010 North Main) for $45-$50.

It works like this: the box is locked with a special, secure key known only to the fire department. It’s usually installed near the front door, so if there is an emergency, and first responders are called to the residence, they can easily access the lockbox and would be able to get into the front door without knocking it down. The purpose is to get to the resident as quickly as possible without causing a whole lot of damage in the process.


File of Life

Another process that the fire department is promoting is the use of what’s called a “File of Life”, which is exactly what it sounds like – a file of all important, pertinent information that first responders would need to know upon arriving to help someone in need.

“It gives us information in case we come to your home and you can’t tell us what your medicines or medical conditions are,” Gladieux said.

The “file” is a magnetic pouch that holds a list of medical conditions, the medications taken to help those conditions and any other information that would be deemed relevant during emergency response and treatment.

The Royal Oak Fire Department encourages folks to stick the file of life on their refrigerators, so the first responders can find it easily when they arrive.

Gladieux said he’s been handing out the files at the senior center during his monthly visits. Residents can also get them at Station 1.


Open-Door Events

In May, the department will be starting what it calls “open door” events, which will give the community a chance to stop by, see the trucks, talk to firefighters on duty, and also have the chance to be taught sidewalk CPR. Gladieux stressed that the training is not certified, but simply a lesson on what to do in case you come across someone having a cardiac event.

The open-door events will be happening at Station 1 on April 18 (which will have already happened by the time this publication hits homes), May 16 and June 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Whether the program continues after that depends on the community’s participation, Gladieux said.

“If people are out and about, we’d love for them to stop by,” he added.

For more information on the above programs, you can contact Asst. Fire Chief Mike Gladieux at (248) 246-3801.