Lewisville creates call centers to check in on senior residents

LEWISVILLE, Texas - The city of Lewisville is taking the extra step of checking on at-risk senior citizens during the outbreak.

The city opened a call center where workers are contacting senior citizens who live in the city. City officials say they want to make sure they reach their senior citizens who might not have access to the internet to get local news and updates during this crucial time.

Starting Wednesday, the city is trying to call all 4,400senior citizen residents they have information for through property tax records.

City officials say they're connecting those residents to different resources, like food donation sites and coronavirus testing sites. They will walk them through paying bills online and answer general questions about city operations during the coronavirus outbreak.

They're also working with the Denton County Transportation Authority on a special program to provide transportation for seniors during this time.

“We’re seeing a lot of basic information we’re giving out, like what are the shopping hours of locations that are open for seniors,” said Chris McGinn, the director for the city’s neighborhood and inspection services. “We also have information we’ve been giving out that informs them of scams that may be going on. We want to keep them informed in those areas. I think a lot of folks that are receiving these calls are just appreciative the city is reaching out.”

As a reminder, the city says their employees will be calling from a city phone number that comes through caller id as The City of Lewisville. Employees will never process payments or take payment information over the phone.

City officials say other cities in the DFW area are considering similar measures to check on their senior citizen residents. Residents can also get more information by visiting the city’s website.