[Margaret Pilkington]

Mancie, it isn't true about long term members stopping posting that no-one gives a hoot........to illustrate my point there were posts to ask about Grannyclaret one month when her 'White Rabbits thread failed to appear....and there have been people asking after Jaysay too....some long term members who no longer post have informed the members of their intention to leave the forum.......and that is their right.

As far as checking on Id Cards, the cost of a daily check would be prohibitive........I think that it would not make one jot of a difference....because many of these older people are reluctant to let 'snoopers' into their homes and their lives.
There is a current system called Lifeline.....run by Hyndburn Homes, and it does cost money to run it. This is a system whereby an old person has a call button, and if they are in danger or are unwell they can use this and it puts a call through to a central receiving point and transmits a message to a designated person.
The problem being that with extreme age and the fact that families no longer stay in the same area anymore(jobs , houses etc, force a move away) there may be no-one to receive this call if, and when it comes.

In our street we have an ageing population, and while I am no spring chicken myself, my husband and I keep a regular check on our elderly neighbours.....not by being intrusive, but but offering assistance to do things like change a light bulb, post letters or get a bit of shopping.......we do this in the hope that if we were ever in need someone would do the same for us.
To the older person this is a far more acceptable method of keeping an eye out for problems.