Three Tips to Help Keep Seniors Safe at Home
Posted on: 29 February 2016
As mobility and personal strength reduces, feeling safe at home is particularly important for seniors. While many seniors continue to live active lifestyles, taking steps to protect yourself and your home from unlawful entry is vital to maintaining this independence. Check out these handy tips to help seniors maintain home safety and security.
Modify your home to make entry difficult
Many home break-ins are crimes of opportunity, and as such a few home modifications hand help to drastically increase your home security. Externally, you may wish to install sensor lighting or an electronic home security system to give your home added protection against unlawful entry. You may also consider having window locks installed. There are several ways that you can reinforce your front door to protect you against a break in:
- Replace your hollow core door with a solid wood or metal front door with a peephole
- Reinforce the lock mechanism by replacing or reinforcing the deadbolt and lockset strike plate
- Have a good quality security screen door installed
- Reinforce exposed hinges
Contact your local security door professionals for advice and expert assistance in reinforcing your home entry.
Join neighbourhood watch
Whether you simply sign up for an email subscription or actively participate in your local group, participating in the Neighbourhood Watch scheme is a fantastic way to work together to reduce crime in your local area. Joining Neighbourhood Watch will help you feel connected and safe within your community, and give you a sense of wellbeing as you actively contribute to creating a safer, secure and united neighbourhood. To find a Neighbourhood Watch group in your area, search the group directory here.
Practice stranger awareness
Keeping your security screen door locked at all times allows you to speak to doorknockers without offering free access to your home. If a stranger knocks on your door trying to sell you something, discuss religion, ask for donations or sign you up for a new service, the first thing you should do is ask to see their identification. Don't hesitate to take a moment to jot down the person's identification details and contact the company to verify their identity- if they are genuinely looking for your business, they will be happy to wait patiently while you do so.
Do not give out your personal information over the phone or online without verifying the authenticity of a caller or website- there are many coercive and sophisticated scams that target the elderly. Practice caution at all times, and if in doubt contact your local police station for advice.
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