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Home safety on menu for OAPs

Sue Carr
10/11/2005

MEALS on Wheels will be making an extra delivery this week to help people stay safe in Derbyshire.

Staff will be giving out a 'Stop, Chain, Check' sticker with every meal to encourage residents - particularly the elderly and vulnerable - not to answer the door to strangers.

The sticker is based on traffic lights, with red warning people to stop and think if they are expecting someone, amber reminding them to check if their door chain is on, and green urging people to look and see whether they know the person.

If they do not recognise the caller they should not let them in.

The stickers have been designed for people to stick them on the inside of their front doors and have been sponsored by Apetitio and the Better Government for Older People initiative.

Almost 3,500 stickers will be delivered across the county as part of National Meals on Wheels Week this week.

Derbyshire County Councillor Dave Allen said: "Meals on Wheels Week is a great way of highlighting the benefits of the service and showing how it can help people to live independently in their own homes.

"We are also using it this year to get across the very important message that people need to be aware of possible bogus callers and never let anyone in unless they know them or are expecting them. I am sure the door stickers will serve as a real reminder to people."

For more information about the meals on wheels service call your local social services office.