Home Security For Aging Seniors
In one of our previous posts, we discussed that far beyond home protection against intruders, Bosma security products help keep those you love safe at home, with a particular interest in vulnerable populations. One of the most vulnerable populations that face challenges staying safe at home is aging seniors.
According to Age Safe America, about 90% of older Americans say they want to age in place, rather than moving to a senior living community. Aging in place means that more and more seniors are opting to stay at home instead of moving to a retirement community, assisted living facility, or nursing home, and who can blame them — home is the most comfortable place to be! However, there are many challenges that seniors face as they age that can make a home less than safe.
Chronic disease and injury can affect vision, hearing, memory, and physical ability that impacts the ability to care for oneself, and can pose a threat to safety at home. In fact, more than 55% of falls that result in injury occur to seniors in their own homes. Other factors that place aging seniors in a vulnerable state are those with ill-intentions who prey on the perceived fragility of elderly people and may attempt to break in or scam seniors.
In today’s post, we will review some of the challenges adult children and families face keeping their elderly loved ones safe at home, and what Bosma is doing to help. At Bosma, our goal is to offer peace of mind to homeowners and families no matter where they are. With our home security products, you can keep an eye on who matters most, from wherever you are.
Safety Hazards in the Home
When it comes to keeping your aging loved one safe at home, identifying risks can sometimes be difficult when they have lived in the same home, safely, for years. The best approach is to be proactive rather than reactive and reduce or eliminate safety hazards before they become an issue. Some things that pose safety hazards in the elderly’s home may include:
- Vision changes that reduce night visibility and ability to read small font
- Medications — reminders, assistance, and side effects
- Mobility impairment and use of assistive devices
- Hearing difficulties
- Increased fall risk
- Cognitive decline or dementia that increases everyday safety risks
- Wandering/ elopement
- Exposure to various personnel — delivery persons, home health, etc.
- Trusting of strangers
- Vulnerable targets of ill-intentioned scam artists
How to Reduce Risk of Injury or Wandering
To keep your aging senior safe at home, it’s important to both assess their current limitations and risks while being proactive about addressing potential risks. Building physical strength and promoting safe mobility is the best way to prevent injury while being honest and addressing cognitive decline early is the best way to prevent dangerous wandering. Other physical home safety tips for the elderly include:
- Install grab bars, shower and commode chairs, and non-slip mats
- Remove trip hazards and install nightlights
- Move commonly used items to a reachable cupboard
- Use safety devices on doors, faucets, ovens, etc.
- Remove items that could be dangerous
- Replace door and faucet handles with levers
- Reduce hot water temperatures
- Install stair lifts or mark individual stairs for better visibility
- Arrange furniture for safety
- Decrease clutter and keep a clean environment
- Install locks or sensors on doors, windows, and cabinets
- Install window and door alarms as well as security cameras or baby monitors
Which Bosma Products Can Help
At Bosma, we have created personal use home security products that work in tandem to offer complete home protection. Because our products are accessed using encrypted Wi-Fi, you can get notifications and access footage from wherever you are, in real time. Here’s how our security products can help your elderly parent or grandparent stay safer at home.
Security Cameras
All of our cameras are great for keeping a watchful eye on those who live inside the home. We highly recommend our X1 or XC security cameras that can be paired with our window and door sensors, smart button, and Alexa for hands-free control. To learn more about which one of our security cameras is the best option for you, read our other post on the topic.
Smart Lock
The Aegis smart lock is a smart home investment for anyone, but may be even more beneficial for the elderly. You can set up who has access to the home and monitor who opens the door. In case of emergency, you can remote unlock the door for assistive personnel and helpful visitors.
The Sentry smart doorbell allows you or your senior loved one to answer the door without opening it. You can get notifications when someone approaches the porch and get a clear picture of the visitor in any light. For aging loved ones who have advanced dementia, you can avoid them ever knowing someone is at the door by silencing the chime and using the two-way talk feature to speak directly to whomever is on the porch. Get notified of package delivery and thwart off would-be porch pirates with the alarm feature.
Window and door sensors offer peace of mind to families of dementia patients. You’ll get immediate notifications when a doorway or window is opened. Because the window and door sensors work in tandem with the X1 or XC security camera, you’ll also be able to see what is happening and use the two-way real talk feature to respond in real time. Use the window and door sensors on exterior and interior doors, windows, and cabinets to ensure enhanced safety and respond immediately.
The Bosma smart button was created to be a doorbell, but many families use it as an emergency alert button. Install smart buttons on the walls in the bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchen, or allow your senior loved one to carry it with them for easy assistance requests. Once the button is pushed, you’ll get immediate notification and the connected camera will be activated for visual monitoring and two-way communication.
Bosma Smart Home Products Offers Family Peace of Mind:
Emergency Alert Notification
Remote Access to Home
Prevent Unsafe Wandering
Secure Unsafe Areas
Two-Way Talk Communication
Real-Time Video Footage on Connect Smart Device
Sound and Motion Detection
Door and Window Open Detection
Secure Smart Deadbolt For Exterior Doors
“Bought the set with door sensors, overall great product. I’m really happy about the build quality of the camera, very sturdy with an aluminum shell all across the body. Overall setup was smooth, one niche thing is that the voice that confirms you are connected is a bit loud but it does the job. Picture quality is good, even when at low light. With the app you can see live views from the camera. Viewing angle is not an issue since you can also turn the camera to point at where you want to look just from the phone.”
~ Jeffery L.
“I absolutely love this! We use it to watch our dogs while we are away from home. We can talk to them and take a picture or video of them. it has a two way speaker, where you can hear everything and they can hear you if you want to talk. the video is very crisp and clear! It has full color and night vision (which is black and white). the night vision is very clear too. There is about a 1 second time delay. Install and set up to my phone was very easy!! I love it! I would recommend this to anyone!”
~ Griselda
“This camera is easy to set up and can usually set up within 5 minutes, offers great quality, excellent for people living alone and want to know if a maintenance man is entering my apartment without proper notice. Has the ability to notify you of any activity that is occurring while you are away. Two way intercom connection. This small mini PTZ gives you the ability to look around the room and has zooming capabilities. Amazing for the buck and worth every penny, thank you.”
~ Ric T.
Safety For Seniors, Peace of Mind For Their Families
Bosma security products work on encrypted Wi-Fi on any connected smart device, allowing family members to keep an eye on their aging loved ones whether they live with them, are at work, or live across the nation. Get emergency alert notifications, and check-in when you haven’t heard from them in a while when you set your elderly parents up with a Bosma home security system.
Elopment/Wandering
Wandering is a significant area of concern in those who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, particularly in the evening. Whether they have a caretaker in the home or intermittent home health aides, you can rest assured that you’ll be notified when a door is opened to assess for safety. Motion and sound detection will keep you notified of concerning movement.
Check in on High-Risk Seniors
High risk seniors are those who are at particular risk of falling or have cognitive or physical impairments that make getting around the house safely a little more challenging. Never again wonder why they aren’t answering the telephone and avoid having a loved one lay helplessly on the floor after a fall. Check in and use the real two-way talk feature to communicate.
Remote Access
With the Sentry smart doorbell and Aegis smart lock, your elderly loved one never needs to blindly open the door for anyone who stops by, reducing the chances that they will fall victim to violence or scams. Let home health aides, therapists, family and friends, or emergency response personnel in while keeping others out, and being notified of all activity.
Bosma is committed to keeping everyone safe in their own homes, which includes aging seniors. Visit Bosma online to build a customized home security system that meets your family’s needs and allows you to keep your elderly parents and grandparents safe at home.
View These Other Online Senior Safety Resources
195 Contractors St, Livermore, CA 94551
support@bosmasmarthome.com
(800) 976-0881
