“At what point could/should you request a welfare check?”

photo by Joanna Hiatt Kim

“Dear PoPville,

So an elderly woman who lives alone on our block became trapped in her house this week, with her cell phone out of reach, but thank goodness a neighbor heard her, was able to talk to her through her mail slot, and called the Fire Department to help get her out since they could not get the door open. Fortunately, she was fine–but this made me think about another elderly woman who also lives alone in the house right next to our house.

Our nextdoor neighbor is very reclusive and does not come out much except to go to the grocery store periodically, seemingly has no friends or family, and her house honestly looks like no one lives there (which is what we assumed when we first moved in, until we saw her come out one day to walk to the grocery store). My husband and I have tried to be friendly when we see her, offered to carry her groceries up her steps (though she always declines), and always try to say hi.

So…it occurs to me that we have not seen her in a while.

Granted, we only ever tend to see her every couple weeks and we very well could have missed her…but my other neighbor’s situation has made me realize how easy it could be for something to happen to our nextdoor neighbor and no one would ever know.

Any thoughts from folks on what to do? At what point could/should you request a welfare check? And if no one comes to the door, what do they do (because she very well might not come to the door even if she is okay, since she’s so reclusive)? Any ideas/advice would be much appreciated!”