badger
22-Aug-08, 23:19
Yesterday afternoon I heard my mobile ringing but was unable to reach it in time to answer it so picked up voice mail a minute later. The voice sounded like a very elderly confused man mumbling a few words and apparently thinking he was talking to someone he knew well. I guessed he was confused by my recorded message. About half an hour later the phone rang again, again I missed it and again another very short confused message. I thought I recognised the voice so looked back in my log and, not having cleared it for a while, found the same number a few months ago and remembered that time I had phoned him back and explained that he had a wrong number. I was concerned then that he thought he had left a message for someone he knew and wanted to let him know that he had not.
This time I decided there was no point phoning him back but I was still concerned about him so Googled the dialling code and found the area he came from (in Yorkshire). Looked up the local police station but that, like so many, was closed in the afternoons. Next stop was Social Services and having eventually got the right office I told my story and said I was worried that there was an old man somewhere who was trying to contact family or friend and might need help. After all we hear of old people living and dying alone and not being found sometimes for weeks and always the cry goes up “why didn’t the neighbours do something?” I’m hardly a neighbour but …..
Social Services were less than helpful – can’t contact people if they’re not on their books. I should have phoned the police. I pointed out that the police station was closed. Eventually the third person I spoke to said he would consult his manager. He did phone me back, presumably to check that I was genuine and that was the last I heard. All I wanted was for someone to phone the number I gave them and make sure everything was OK, but apparently that’s not allowed.
What would you have done? Was I interfering or should I have done more? I just wish I knew the outcome.
This time I decided there was no point phoning him back but I was still concerned about him so Googled the dialling code and found the area he came from (in Yorkshire). Looked up the local police station but that, like so many, was closed in the afternoons. Next stop was Social Services and having eventually got the right office I told my story and said I was worried that there was an old man somewhere who was trying to contact family or friend and might need help. After all we hear of old people living and dying alone and not being found sometimes for weeks and always the cry goes up “why didn’t the neighbours do something?” I’m hardly a neighbour but …..
Social Services were less than helpful – can’t contact people if they’re not on their books. I should have phoned the police. I pointed out that the police station was closed. Eventually the third person I spoke to said he would consult his manager. He did phone me back, presumably to check that I was genuine and that was the last I heard. All I wanted was for someone to phone the number I gave them and make sure everything was OK, but apparently that’s not allowed.
What would you have done? Was I interfering or should I have done more? I just wish I knew the outcome.