An elderly man was found lying on his bathroom floor of his unit in the Buttertubs Place senior's housing complex on Monday, Dec. 20. (Google Earth)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

alert neighbour

Neighbour and police team up to save Nanaimo senior found motionless in his home

Dec 23, 2021 | 12:41 PM

NANAIMO — A woman knew something was wrong when Christmas baking she dropped off at her neighours’ central Nanaimo went home unclaimed after several days.

Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said Nicki Wilson alerted police when she hadn’t seen her elderly friend Bob after dropping off the baking on Dec. 15 at his Buttertubs Dr. unit.

Wilson called Nanaimo RCMP on Monday, Dec 20 to help check on Bob, where an officer looked through his windows and discovered Bob lying injured on his bathroom floor.

The responding officer forced the door open and paramedics were called to the scene.

“Bob was taken to the hospital where he remains. He’s in critical condition, but he’s alive and he’s alive because of Nicki reaching out and Cst. Butler doing a great job getting inside that apartment,” Cst. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW, who noted the caring neighbour intends to give Bob his care package when he returns from hospital.

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O’Brien said this incident demonstrates the importance of checking in on vulnerable seniors to make sure they’re okay.

He said Bob’s fate would likely be different if it weren’t for his neighbour.

O’Brien said police consider check well-being calls a priority.

“We’re not asking neighbours to break into places. We’re saying call us and we will help you and reach out to the people in your community who are shut-ins.”

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