"Compassionate Callers Club" aims to help seniors in Buchanan

BUCHANAN, Mich.-The Buchanan Area Senior Center wants to make sure your loved one isn’t alone with a new senior well-check call program.

The center recently partnered up with the Buchanan police department to create the “Compassionate Callers Club.”

The initiative aims to lend a helping hand to seniors who are at 55-years old or older.

Trained volunteers will initiate a well-check call at the same time every day. Since its start in August, staff is having difficulty reaching out to the demographic.

“My grandma is getting older and if there wasn’t family around, I would absolutely want her on something like this,” said Karli Wendorf, an intern at the center. “They would definitely benefit from a phone call from us, even though it’s just a phone call, we have our eyes and ears on them,” Wendorf said.

The service is for seniors in Buchanan who live alone, have little or no contact with others, or may have a medical condition that makes them vulnerable.

The center is hoping to not just potentially help save a life, but to build a relationship with the older citizens in their community.

“We want to build a relationship so we’ll be able to tell if there are any changes in speech or if they’re lethargic, so if we notice any differences we can call their emergency contacts to check in on them or the police,” Wendorf said.

They hope to eventually expand the program to the township and county.

If you or a loved one would like to sign up for the service, you can find the center’s contact information HERE.