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Learn about Lake County's R.U.O.K program
The Lake County Sheriff's Office is crediting one of its programs for saving the life of an elderly resident last week.
LAKE VILLA, Ill. - Authorities in Lake County are crediting one of their programs with saving the life of an elderly resident.
The program called "R.U.O.K." is for residents living alone who benefit from being checked on every day or two with a phone call from a deputy.
The program is designed to help people without family or friends who would regularly be able to check in on them.
On Friday, an officer was doing her rounds of R.U.O.K. phone calls when she was unable to reach a 77-year-old woman who lives in unincorporated Lake Villa. The prior day, the woman sounded tired when she was contacted. The deputy contacted the Patrol Division and requested deputies conduct a check for wellbeing.
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When sheriff’s deputies arrived at the home, there was no answer, so they got a key and went in where they found the woman on the floor, confused and unable to move.
"Without the actions of our deputy who made the call and the deputies who responded to the scene and went inside to investigate further, there's a good chance the outcome would not have gone so well," said Chris Covelli, Deputy Chief of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.
He says they believe the woman was on the floor for between 18 and 24 hours before being found. She was transported to the hospital, and although we don't know much about why she collapsed, we're told she's expected to make a full recovery.