I'm worried about my elderly neighbor who lives alone. What should I do?

Who do I call if I'm worried about an elderly neighbor?

1. 1Knock, and call her phone.
2. 2Look for someone with a key: the building manager, another neighbor, or her family if you know them.
3. 3If you cannot reach her and it is out of character, call the police non-emergency number and ask for a welfare check. You do not need to be family. The City of Atlanta's 311 page notes these requests usually come from friends, family and neighbors.
4. 4If you hear her calling for help, see her on the floor, or smell gas, call 911.

Haven't seen her in days? Signs to watch

• Mail or newspapers piling up
• Lights on all day, or dark all evening
• A car that has not moved in days
• Curtains that stay closed when she usually opens them
• A pet barking or crying for a long time

One sign alone may mean nothing. She may be traveling. A few together are worth a knock.

Offering to be her daily person

Some people who live alone welcome a neighbor who notices. You can offer something small: "Text me good morning, and I'll knock if I don't hear from you."

Or offer to be her check-in contact in Hammock365, free. She taps I'm Okay each morning. If she has not tapped by the time you picked, you get a text. A neighbor or friend can set up the account, or join with her family code. She can use an iPhone, an Android phone or a web browser, from a texted link with no download.

Can I be my neighbor's emergency contact?

Yes, if she asks you to. Her emergency card in Hammock365 has room for two emergency contacts, and a neighbor can be one of them. Ask her first, and keep her number and her family's numbers in your phone.

Reaching her family

If you know her family, ask for a number. If her son or daughter already uses Hammock365, you can join their family with the family code, free, and see her check-in too. On the free plan, the missed check-in text goes to one person. On the paid plan, everyone who joined gets it, neighbors included.

When it's more than a check-in

If she seems unable to care for herself, or you think someone is taking advantage of her, call Adult Protective Services. APS is a state and local program that serves older adults facing abuse, neglect, self-neglect or financial exploitation. NAPSA lists the APS office for each state.

The honest limit

Hammock365 works only if she agrees to it, and it texts only the people in her group. It never calls the police, 911 or anyone else. It is not a medical alert, a call center or an emergency service. If you think she is in danger, call 911.