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Show Gatekeeper program helps elderly ing to another state to live near relatives. re-latives. The Gatekeeper Program helps the utility employees as well as the elderly. "Mountain Fuel employees em-ployees have always been aware of our elderly customers and concerned con-cerned for their needs," said Mountain Fuel Vice President of Retail Operations Steve Yeager. "Gatekeeper gives an avenue through which we can be of significant signifi-cant help to elderly customers in need." Anyone can act as a gatekeeper. Danger signs to watch for include: Communication: confused, disoriented, forgetful, excessive, reminiscing, angry or hostile. Economic condition: extreme confusion concerning money matters, mat-ters, expressed difficulty in paying bills or inability to afford transportation. Social condition: older person , ft living alone, or otherwise isolated .pj from social contact; possible vie- ; tims of abuse, neglect or exploita- T, tion. Emotional Health: excessive v statements of rejection; not eating lf, or sleeping well; recent loss of spouse, relative, friend or pet; ." appears extremely anxious, fidge- v tv or withdrawn. lVl Personal appearance: un-kempt, un-kempt, dirty clothes, uncombed hair or unshaven. Physical limitations: severe difficulty seeing, speaking, hearing or moving about. Condition of home: in need of repair, neglected yard, old newspapers news-papers lying about, offensive odors or unattended pets. If you observe anyof these conditions, con-ditions, report them to your county aging services office. The Gatekeeper Program is helping help-ing elderly citizens who need assistance and don't know how to arrange for it. Consider the case of an elderly Salt Lake City woman who was in need of medical attention and no longer able to care for her home or pets adequately. Her telephone had been disconnected, her plumbing plumb-ing didn't work properly, and she was being swindled by a man posing pos-ing as a friend who repeatedly convinced con-vinced her to sign withdrawal slips for her bank account without her knowing what she was doing. Mountain Fuel collector Mark Tanner had been aware of the deteriorating de-teriorating condition of her home for some time. In fact, he had been assigned to call on her and attempt to collect on her past-due account. That was the day he attended a Gatekeeper training program. Gatekeeper is a nationwide team effort between service agencies for the aging and utilities. Utility employees em-ployees with frequent customer contact, such as meter readers, customer service representatives, collectors and others, are trained to watch for signs that senior citizens may need help. When these gatekeepers see danger signals a change in a per-son's per-son's behavior or appearance, newspapers or mail piling up, etc. they call aging services. Aging services, in turn, alerts appropriate professionals who offer social and health services, such as medical and personal care, household-chore household-chore services, food and transportation. transpor-tation. When the Gatekeeper training session ended, Tanner went directly direct-ly to his desk, found the collection report on this elderly woman and called aging services. Thanks to his alertness and the Gatekeeper training, train-ing, the appropriate agencies were notified, and she received the help she needed. Soon, she will be mov- |