R.U. OK? Older adults living alone in Arizona get daily check-in calls

PHOENIX (Aging Untold) — A program in Phoenix is ensuring that older adults who live alone have a lifeline in case of an emergency. Each year, there are about 3 million emergency room visits due to falls among older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Multiple studies published between 2020 and 2025 found living alone may increase the risk of falls and the severity of injury among older adults. Debbie Lane, 84, has lived in Arizona since 1977 after moving from New Jersey. She raised three children and has been involved with the Arizona Opera. Now she lives alone and has peace of mind knowing that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office checks on her every day through its R.U. OK program, which stands for Are You OK? How the program works “It rings. I know the number. The voice says the number. I push it and they said, ‘This is R.U. OK and push one if you are OK, push three if you need assistance,’ which I like,” Lane said. Sun City Posse Chaplain Don Erlit