Throughout your life, staying safe at home and ensuring it is secure is incredibly important. When you get older it is easy to feel vulnerable. But you shouldn’t miss out on life experiences – there are plenty of ways to enhance your security. Here are three safety tips to help you feel more secure in everyday life.
Move to Sheltered Housing
Living alone can be difficult to experience when you get older and understandably it can be quite lonely, if your spouse has passed away. It can be hard to get to know new people and living alone in an empty house can also put you at risk from crime. There are many different types of sheltered housing but all of them will provide you with a feeling of community spirit – and in addition, most will have a warden onsite 24/7. It can be difficult to move out of your home if you have lived there for many years but sheltered accommodation can really make you feel safer – especially if you need extra support.
Burglar Alarms
If sheltered housing isn’t for you, make sure you have a high-quality security system installed at your home. Alarms that alert the police straight away are available and this type of alarm not only protects your belongings, it protects you as well. Some criminals can view elderly people as an easy target. Bob Horsham, for example, was at home alone when a 19 year old broke into his home and assaulted him. Although this type of incident is rare, you will feel much safer if you have a product that will raise the alarm and protect you from strangers.
Fire Alarms
Remember to keep checking your smoke alarm batteries and test the machine each week. It may seem obvious, but a lot of the population, young or old, forget about this. A fire can be caused by anything from poor wiring or cooking mishaps to a gas leak – so make you are protected.
Personal Alarms
Understandably, some people do not want to move out of the home that they have lived in for years. Family and friends will continue to pay attention to your health and wellbeing. Having a personal alarm will put your mind at ease as well as everyone else’s. Online advice is available from various sources. However, it is essential that individuals and relatives get advice from trusted sources. Age UK is a trusted charity and resource for information on personal alarms.
How does it work?
A personal alarm can be worn as a pendant around the neck or on a wrist band . The alarm remains with you around the home and in the garden, should you fall or be unfortunate enough to suffer an accident you can receive help and medical attention (if needed) as soon as possible. A good personal alarm will connect you to a 24 hour response centre who will evaluate the call and contact either your chosen contacts or if necessary the emergency services.
You should be able to relax and enjoy your later years without worrying about safety or security. Happily, by taking a few simple precautions you can enjoy peace of mind – and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
