A 70 year old single female was transported from her job to the nearest ER by ambulance due to chest pain and shortness of breath. Her coworker sat with her for a few hours but eventually had to return to the office. Her adult children lived in other states. In addition to the stress of being in the ER with multiple tests and treatments, she worried about her small dog who would need fresh food and water.  

 A 68 year old single man was transported to the nearest ER after falling from a ladder. He was in great pain and had to be sedated in the ER.  His neighbor turned off the oven and locked the door of his home. His adult children living in another state needed someone to pick up his medication list, his living will, and other important papers from his home. 

A 55 year old man with an adult nephew in another state and no other relatives, underwent multiple treatments for cancer. He was wheelchair bound and had only a month-to-month phone that required a phone card. In addition, all his bills were stacked in a pile near his TV but he could not read them due to side-effects of the medication.  When his phone card expired at the end of the month, he had no contact with his adult nephew. A police well check found that the patient was alert and oriented but too weak to drive to the store to get a new phone card and necessities.