CAMDEN — The Good Morning Camden program, introduced in January 2015 by the Camden Police Department to give special attention to the elderly, has expanded to serve residents of Rockport. The outreach assists senior citizens, 60 years of age or older, and adults with disabilities who are living alone by providing a daily morning telephone check-in.

The program, now called Good Morning Camden and Rockport, will remain centralized at the Camden Police Department. For any Rockport residents who enroll in the program and require a follow-up home check, Rockport officers will respond to their homes.

The goal of the program remains the same. At the start of the program in 2015, Police Chief Randy Gagne said, “The department is available to assist individuals so they can continue to live independently and give assurance to family members, especially those who live out of the area, that loved ones are receiving daily contact.”

The brief, daily phone calls are made between 8 and 10 a.m., seven days a week, from a representative of the police department, usually administrator Jeff Sukeforth, the program's coordinator. Currently there are eight participants in the program.

A recent incident on Oct. 31 continues to show how the program is working.

Parking enforcement officer, Mark Bennett, who assists Sukeforth with making the phone calls, went to the home of a woman who did not answer her phone that morning. Bennett discovered that the woman’s phone was not working due to the recent storm and power outages.

“She was fine except she did not have any power so I took her a cup of hot coffee,” said Bennett.

Sukeforth said that he knows that there’s a lot of people in the community who could benefit from the program. 

“If a senior or disabled person lives alone, all they have to do is call the police department and sign up for this program as well. Officers will also deliver an application to a person’s home,” said Sukeforth.

To enroll in the Good Morning Camden program, each participant must complete an application form that includes information such as medical conditions, medications, primary physician and emergency contact. Although providing information is voluntary, people are encouraged to include as much as possible to help first responders in an emergency. All information on the application will be kept confidential by the police.

Additionally, people can stop by the Public Safety building at 31 Washington St., Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to pick up a packet and complete the application at home or on site.

Sukeforth can be reached at the police department at 207-236-7953 or jsukeforth@camdenmaine.gov.

 Related stories:

 Sand delivery to Camden seniors another way to keep in touch

 Police launch Good Morning Camden program for seniors, adults with disabilities

 Waldo County dispatchers lend peace of mind

 Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com