A retired nurse at the forefront of a battle to save sheltered housing wardens was one of the first on the scene when an elderly neighbour was injured in a fall.
Michael Smith (73), of Cedar Court, Spalding, said the 82-year-old woman hurt her shoulder on Friday – breaking the collar bone.
He said: “I am a former nurse and I went in and made her as comfortable as possible until the paramedics came.
“They were on the scene within ten to 15 minutes and took her to hospital.”
Mr Smith said there was nothing more the wardens could have done in that case, but many frail elderly people rely on wardens to rescue them in medical emergencies when they have no one else to call.
Residents of sheltered housing complexes across South Holland are in limbo with the threat of cutbacks hanging over the service.
The service is funded by Lincolnshire County Council and delivered locally by South Holland District Council.
Mr Smith says residents are worried sick about what the future holds for them and he is meeting district council leader Gary Porter on September 2 to see what steps are being taken to help guarantee the future of the service beyond October.
The pensioner will then pass on information to residents of Spalding’s Nene Court and Sezanne Walk at meetings he’s arranged.
He said: “Frail elderly people need some sort of cover, they need some reassurance that if anything happens they are going to be looked after and the wardens will be there.”
Mr Smith said pensioners understand savings have to be made, but they still need a workable service with wardens able to call on them when they need help.