| With advancements in medicine, nutrition and | | | | alters authorities will be important. |
| psychology, senior citizens are staying fit and | | | | Another feature that shouldn't be overlooked is that of |
| independent much later in life than ever before. This | | | | a panic button. Today, many seniors have such a |
| means many are living on their own, or living with their | | | | button that they wear either on their wrist or around |
| spouse for many years. While you may be entirely | | | | their neck. Just pushing this button immediately sends |
| capable of living alone, there are many outside factors | | | | authorities to your home to help. This is helpful not only |
| that can affect your ability to stay safe at home. An | | | | in the event of a home intrusion, but in the event of a |
| example is the threat of intrusion. While it's a shame | | | | slip, trip or fall. Many of the accidents that result in |
| the world has to think this way, there are many | | | | injuries of deaths when it comes to independently living |
| individuals out there who think of a senior citizen's | | | | seniors are preventable, or minor, but become serious |
| residence as an easy target. Although the home of a | | | | due to the inability to call for help. Always make sure |
| senior citizen is unlikely to have the electronics and | | | | there is a way to summon help from anywhere in the |
| petty cash of another family or young professional's | | | | house. |
| residence, there are other things thieves want like | | | | Finally, it is important to surround your home with good |
| medications, valuable jewelry, and large stashes of | | | | home security measures. Make sure all the doors and |
| cash that many senior's keep around the home. | | | | windows have excellent locks. In addition to a security |
| In general, burglars want to go undetected. However, in | | | | system in the home, try installing a driveway or |
| the home of a senior citizen that may have an | | | | perimeter alarm, which sounds a pleasant sounding |
| impaired ability to see or hear, it is easy to get inside | | | | chime anytime someone enters the property. This will |
| and physically overpower the resident. For this very | | | | give the resident plenty of time to get up and check |
| reason, seniors have to think differently about how to | | | | out what's going on without feeling rushed or panicked. |
| maintain good home security. For starters, installing a | | | | Install a peephole or video monitor at the front door or |
| home security system isn't always good enough. A | | | | gate, so that it is always easy to see who is at the |
| senior citizen must think about the features available | | | | door before opening it. At the end of the day, senior |
| on the system, for example, is 24/7 customer care | | | | citizens must use all the same basic security |
| available? It is likely that a senior citizen will be unable | | | | measures at anyone else, but it will be more important |
| to move quickly enough to barricade him or herself in | | | | that there is an alternative means to call for help |
| one area of the house long enough to alert the police, | | | | besides relying on making it to the telephone. |
| therefore, a security system that also automatically | | | | |