Do You Know Your Neighbor?

Heard this song the other day.

John Fogerty
The Old Man Down The Road 
He take the thunder from the mountain
He take the lightning from the sky
He bring the strong man to his bended knee
He make the young girls mama cry

You got to hidey-hide
You got to jump and run
You got to hidey hidey-hide
The old man's down the road

He got the voices speakin' riddles
He got the eye as black as coal
He got a suitcase covered with rattlesnake hide
And he stand right in the road

You got to hidey-hide
You got to jump and run away
You got to hidey hidey-hide
The old man's down the road

He make the river call your lover
He make the barking of the hound
Put the shadow across the window
When the old man comes around

You got to hidey-hide
You got to jump and run again
You got to hidey hidey-hide
The old man's down the road

The old man is down the road
The old man is down the road
Songwriters: JOHN C. FOGERTY
The Old Man Down The Road lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

This song got me thinking.  How well do you know the old man down the road?  How well do any of us know our neighbors?  There has been a lot of research over the past few decades on the decline of neighborliness in the USA (and other nations),  and how it is causing the country to fragment socially.  
See here
And here
And shockingly here

I was talking to my friend the other day (same one from yesterday) and he was chatting with me about this very subject.  He shared with me a story about his father and mother who live up north.  They always had told their son (my friend) to "check on his elderly neighbors" in the event of a hurricane or snowstorm or anything like that.  Just to make sure the elderly neighbors were okay, and not injured or marooned in their houses.  My friends dad said that during the previous winter, a neighbor of his, a young guy, had come over to the house after a snowstorm and checked on my friends dad and mom!  My friends dad thought that was weird, and didn't understand what was going on--but then he realized--HE was the elderly neighbor who was being checked on!!!  It was all quite funny.

Then it made me realize.  This is an elder law issue, and it got me and my wife to thinking about our parents.  One set lives in Kentucky.  One set lives in Washington.  There are, luckily, family around them both.   The other day, I get a call from my brother in law asking if I have heard from my mother that day.  Nope.  Panic ensues.  We were all worried about my mom maybe being injured and stuck in the house.  No phone calls were answered.  My brother in law rushes up to the house.  My mom was at the grocery store.  She forgot her cell phone.  No cause for worry. 

Well, I know my mom and dad know their neighbors.  I know who their neighbors are.  BUT I DO NOT KNOW how to contact my parents neighbors.  If my parents need to be checked on for some reason, or there is some suspected emergency (and they are not even "elderly"), how do I contact their neighbors?  My wife said the same thing about her folks.

So, all that to say this:  you may live a long way away from your parents or other family member who needs "checking on" someday.  Maybe you can get to know their neighbors and get their contact information NOW, so when an emergency arises, you can get them to help you "check on their elderly neighbors".  Might be worth some of your time.  

As a Virginia attorney, I might be able to facilitate these conversations.  As an elder law focused attorney, I can definitely help you come up with a care plan for your parents who might be far away from you.  Give me a call today.