Help The Aged
It’s not uncommon for calls to make a dent in my faith in humanity. Usually, however, that dent is made by the behaviour of the caller, rather than the nature of the emergency itself.
It was my first call of the shift, just before 7am. Like most calls this time of day, it was from a distressed sounding elderly lady.
“Help me!” she squealed. “There’s blood everywhere!”
The usual cause of a call like this is piles, closely followed by falls and other minor injuries. Old people have papery skin and a lot of them are on blood thinners, so they often generate a lot of blood.
“Okay, we can get you some help,” I said in my best reassuring voice. “Can you tell me what’s happened?”
“There was someone here,” said the little old lady. “He came in through the window!”
“You’ve had a break in?” I said, realising that this was not a routine call after all. “Did the burglar attack you?”
“Yes!” said the old lady in a trembling voice. “Oh, please come, please help me! I’m ninety-three!”
“Of course we’ll come straight away,” I told her (and yes, I know I’m not supposed to say that, but I don’t think I’m going to get sacked for it). “Is the man who did this still there?”
“I don’t know!” said the lady. I don’t know what I’d have told her to do if he was — run away? She was ninety-three, she wouldn’t have got very far. Fortunately, the carer turned up at that precise moment. I could hear her in the background.
“Mrs Bell? Mrs Bell! What on earth has happened? The front door was open and there’s… oh my goodness, what has happened to you? Who are you talking to?”
The carer came to the phone and I explained who I was and that police and ambulance were coming. I was concerned, though, that the intruder might still be around, so after triaging the call I stayed on the line with the carer instructing her not to leave the room until the police arrived. Fortunately, they were on scene within a few minutes, closed followed by the ambulance.
That must have been one of the most horrible calls I have taken, simply because I cannot imagine what would motivate someone to attack a 93-year-old woman. I can see the motivation behind most crimes — stealing for financial gain, assault as revenge — but what gain is there in this? She was hardly going to prevent them from burgling the house at her age; it couldn’t be considered a display of bravado. Someone of ninety-three should be living out their last days in peace and quiet and not have their last memories polluted with such ugly violence. I hope whoever did this gets caught, and I hope they lie awake at night haunted by their own cowardly act of bullying.
on April 24th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
I hope she’s okay, wherever she is, after the medical services took care of her. You never know if the person behind this was in their right mind at the time. It’s an ugly world we live in where 5 year olds and 93 year old women are victims.
on April 24th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
Well said Mark
on April 24th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
The person who did that really is the lowest of the low. What sort of resistance was a 93 year old woman going to offer? The poor woman must be worried sick about going home, that’s if she even wants to go back to her home.
Hope he gets caught before he can attack again.
on April 24th, 2006 at 10:58 pm
Dogsbody
What would be more satisfying would be if the person responsible broke into another house, thinking a little old lady lived there, only to find that he had burgled the local Hells Angel chapter house or something.
The scum responsible needs a taste of his own treatment. Life imprisonment wouldn’t be sufficient punishment.
I’m in a liberal mood tonight!
on April 25th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
Who’s up for bringing back some good ol’ fashioned Capital punishment?
on April 25th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Reminds me of when I was called to a local nick to deal with a head injury. Scum-bag had broken into a house, got what he could and climbed back out of the window. Unfortunately for him he was met with the business end of a truncheon wielded by an off duty Police officer who lived next door and had heard the glass breaking. Justice at last !
on April 25th, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Stan Still
Totally agree with you - life imprisonment would be too good for him, but atleast his fellow inmates would make it tuff for him, even criminals have standards!
He could always break into another house and get mauled by their pet German Shepherd or some other big toothed dog - would just request that an ambulance doesn’t get dispatched as he’d probably try and assault the crew so could he be made to walk to the nearest A&E? Saves an ambulance for someone who should really have one!
on April 26th, 2006 at 9:25 am
What wouldnt surprise me if the attacker was no different in age from this womans grandkids…in the early teens say, some burberry dressed chav who needs money to go buy his girlfriend an anniversary meal at chavdonalds!!!
GRR!, sorry, no excuse for that sort of behaviour!
on April 27th, 2006 at 7:27 am
Stan Still said: satisfying would be if the person responsible broke into another house, thinking a little old lady lived there, only to find that he had burgled the local Hells Angel chapter house or something.
Yeah.
on April 27th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Dogsbody - if that happened the owner of the dog would then be prosecuted for having a dangerous dog. The scummy crim would then be onthe fat end of a compo cheque. Ahhh, gotta love Britain!
on May 2nd, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Here here
on May 10th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
I beleive all old folk should be given a panic button to alert of intruders or falls. there are some great ones on the market now that would call for help when needed and to top it all they are reasonbly priced too. might even give us some extra help catching the bar stewards that do these sick worthless crimes.