Board Member: Bonnita Wirth, Ph.D.
The Lincoln Hills Foundation (LHF) funds solutions and programs that enhance the quality of life for the senior residents of the Lincoln community. The LHF, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Lincoln Hills that designates every donation dollar to grants for programs and services, has been focused on the well-being of seniors since 2001. Currently, four of our programs are focused on enhancing the safety of our senior residents.
Project Lifesaver
The LHF was one of the initial funders for Project Lifesaver which began in June 2021 through the Lincoln Police Department (LPD). Project Lifesaver is an international search and rescue program designed to locate wandering, missing persons diagnosed with Cognitive Disorders and return them safely to their caregivers.
Combining state of the art locating technologies, innovative search and rescue methods and community policing, individuals prone to wandering can be located quickly. A personalized, lightweight battery-operated wrist or ankle band is provided that emits a silent radio frequency 24 hours a day. When the wearer goes missing, the caregiver immediately notifies 9-1-1. A specially trained search team from LPD responds using a mobile locator to find the missing person. Search times have been reduced from days and hours to minutes, saving deployment time for searches, as well as protecting the lost person.
This program is provided at no cost for those living in Lincoln and through a grant from the LHF, a number of the locator bands have been designated for use by qualified SCLH residents. Within five weeks of the program starting in 2021, a SCLH resident went missing and was found a mile from home within 24 minutes. Currently, five out of the eleven clients in this program are from SCLH. Since the program’s inception, there have been five successful recoveries of Lincoln residents.
For further information, please call the Lincoln Police Department at 916-434-3285 or email them at projectlifesaver@lincolnca.gov.
Automated External Defibrillators for the Lincoln Police Department
Since 2014, the LHF has provided 10 AEDs for patrol vehicles and the police station.
During a cardiac emergency, an AED is a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.
All LPD officers, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and other first responders are trained and equipped to use an Automated External Defibrillator. Police vehicles are on the road 24/7 and often arrive at a scene earlier than the Lincoln Fire Department. LPD, with the help of the Foundation, continues to work towards outfitting each of their patrol vehicles with the equipment necessary to respond and react to sudden cardiac events to residents throughout Lincoln.
Training in CPR and AED Usage
Many cardiac events occur in a public setting—like Sports Plazas, gyms, pools, trails, golf courses, or the grocery store. In fact, there have been two lives saved by SCLH softball players trained in CPR/AED and utilizing the AED machine in the Sports Plaza.
Key personnel in SCLH lodges and fitness centers are trained to provide CPR and usage of the AEDs strategically placed in public areas. Two of our own residents experienced cardiac events in the Fitness Centers and are alive because of staff CPR training and these valuable machines.
Most cardiac arrests occur at home. The Lincoln Hills Foundation underwrites part of the cost for SCLH residents who enroll in the American heart Association CPR/AED classes provided through the Association’s WellFit Department.
Upcoming sessions are on November 11, 2022, and February 8, May 10, and August 9, 2023. Watch for WellFit’s announcement of the classes in the Compass. Sign-ups are through resident website https://sclhresidents.com. This class may be the most important one you ever take.
Neighborhood Watch
The LHF supports Neighborhood Watch (NW) of SCLH. Neighborhood Watch’s Mission is to: Strengthen neighborhood ties; Increase personal safety and security awareness; Be the “eyes and ears” of the Lincoln Police and Fire Departments; and encourage emergency preparedness.
In collaboration with local police and fire, NW continually strives to provide a safe place to live for residents. More than five hundred resident NW volunteers provide vital safety and security information to more than 10,000 SCLH seniors through the NW website. Go to http://sclhwatch.org, for the full list of their activities.
As part of the Association’s New Resident Orientation program, NW provides new residents of the community with a Welcome Packet that includes ideas and resources to enhance safety. Residents are encouraged to share emergency contact information in the event that the resident ever needs assistance.
The Lincoln Hills Foundation is committed to the mission of funding programs that enhance the quality of life for seniors. We are pleased to collaborate with such strong partners to bring greater safety and security to our residents.