YANA: YOU ARE NOT ALONE

The You Are Not Alone (YANA) program is a free service for Carlsbad seniors who live alone and would benefit from having someone check on their welfare on a daily basis. The goal is to help YANA clients feel confident while continuing to live on their own.

Members of the police department's senior volunteer patrol make daily phone calls or visits to each of the YANA clients. Each morning Tuesday through Saturday, a volunteer phones the YANA client. A daily log is kept to verify that contact was made and to note any special requests or information. For instance, the YANA client may say he or she will not be available for calls the following day due to a doctor's appointment.

If a YANA enrollee does not respond, the volunteer repeats the call over a limited time period. If there continues to be no response, the senior volunteer patrol will go to the YANA client's residence for a welfare check. If they see a problem or still cannot make contact, a police officer is called to the scene immediately, and emergency medical aid may be summoned.

Monday is visiting day for the YANAs. Instead of a phone call, each YANA client gets a personal visit from the senior patrol. This not only brings an even more personal touch to the program, it ensures that the YANA cleint's home and physical appearance are monitored. Anything out of the ordinary is logged and reported.

To register as a YANA client, a senior must complete a short request form, participate in an interview with the YANA coordinator, have an emergency contact person, and be willing and able to respond to phone calls and weekly home visits.

If citizens are interested in enrolling themselves or someone they know, they are asked to call Carlsbad Police Department's senior volunteer patrol at (760) 931-2214.

The YANA program is one of the many ways the Carlsbad Police Department shows it cares.