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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2007

Give Your Neighbors a Treat This Halloween by Helping them Prepare for Severe Fall and Winter Weather
Use Fall Festivities to Start a Beneficial Friendship with Older Residents

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Department of Aging urges all Ohioans to use "trick-or-treat" nights and other fall activities as opportunities to start a dialog with elderly neighbors and ensure they are prepared for severe fall and winter weather that may be just around the corner.

"It is sad, but in some communities, trick-or-treat night is the only time of the year people interact with their neighbors at home," said Barbara E. Riley, director of the department. "The social nature of fall celebrations such as Halloween and Thanksgiving offers a great opportunity to reach out, begin to identify problems and offer help."

The long, hot days of summer have given way to shorter, cooler fall days. Fall and winter in Ohio can usher in flooding, high winds, extreme cold, snow, ice, power outages and more. While this fall has been warmer than average so far, significant snowfall can happen as early as October in parts of the state - parts of northern Ohio saw as much as ten inches by mid-November last year.

When you check on a neighbor - or look around your own place - look for and ask about these things:

• Are gutters and drains free of leaves and debris? Do tree branches touch the walls, windows or roof? Are there any broken windows that need replaced?
• Does the furnace work and has it recently been checked or serviced?
• Do they have an emergency kit with non-perishable food, clean water, necessary medicine, flashlights, batteries, candles and lighter, weather radio and other essentials?
• Do they have someone who can check on them in an emergency? Can you be that person?

"Use your gut. If something doesn't seem right, point it out and offer to help," added Riley. "It could be essential or even life-saving."

For more information about severe winter weather and how to prepare, visit the Web site of the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness at www.weathersafety.ohio.gov.

About ODA

The Ohio Department of Aging provides leadership for the delivery of services and supports that improve and promote quality of life and personal choice for older Ohioans, adults with disabilities, their families and their caregivers. Working with 12 area agencies on aging and other community partners, the department offers home- and community-based Medicaid waiver programs such as PASSPORT, the long-term care ombudsman program, the Golden Buckeye Card and more. Visit www.goldenbuckeye.com.