5 Reasons to Be More Security Aware as You Age
There are millions of people who are subject to hackers, thieves, and fraudulent people every year. In 2019, 4.4. million people were victims of identity fraud. On top of that, an estimated 1,117,696 home robberies happened in 2019, according to the FBI. It’s common for Americans, especially senior citizens, to believe they would never be a number in these statistics. Therefore, they don’t practice security awareness.
Security awareness goes further than protecting themselves from Medicare fraud and break-ins; it also applies to having the appropriate medical alarms in your home and preparing for home disasters. If you don’t implement strategies to protect yourself, here are five reasons to be more security-aware as you age.
#1 Protect your home
Senior citizens can be an easy target for burglars since many live alone and can’t defend themselves as they once could. Being aware of the security tips you can use to better protect your home may protect your belongings and your life.
The most common and helpful way to securely protect your home is by installing a home alarm system. Home security systems are one of the best ways to detect an intruder whenever you are at home and away from home. Home alarm systems can range from simple sound alarms to alarm systems with cameras you can access from your phone.
Some of the top 2021 home alarm systems are Vivint, ADT, and SimpliSafe. Be sure to read over the reviews to ensure you purchase an alarm system that can keep you security-aware whether you are at home or away.
#2 Medical alarms
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 36 million senior citizens fall every year. With this significant number, seniors should be aware that an easy way to have security awareness inside their home is by having a medical alarm on when walking around.
There are various medical alarms, such as wearable devices, like pendants, mattress pad alarms, and fall detection devices. Having a panic button on you at all times is an efficient way to stay secure around your home. A medical alarm would allow you to have peace in mind that 911 is only one button away if an accident were to ever happen inside and outside of your home.
#3 Cybersecurity
Seniors did not always have the internet at the tip of their fingers and access to so many websites and accounts, as they do now. Due to this, many seniors fall for online scams and are easily hacked. Online scammers are basically professional con artists and try to trick everyone on the internet into falling into their cyber trap.
There are many ways to have security awareness online. For example, you should never share your personal information online, such as your home address, birthdate, and Medicare ID number. Just like kids are taught not to talk to strangers, you should not talk to strangers online. You never know who is actually behind the screen, so you should never share personal information with strangers online.
It’s best to never click on random, suspicious links you receive from an unknown address via email, text, or messenger. Clicking a link is one of the easiest ways for a hacker to get a hold of the private information you have stored on your device.
#4 Protection from fraud
Similar to cybersecurity awareness, you should also be aware of fraud. If you are nearing Medicare age, you will likely be a prime target for fraudulent people. Your phone will be ringing off the hook, and your mailbox will be packed with private insurance carrier solicitations.
Scammers know you are overloaded with Medicare information, so they find seniors as an easy target. Your guard should always be up and ready when you receive a call from an unknown number claiming to be Medicare or Social Security.
A good thing to remember is that Medicare and the Social Security office will never call you. On top of this, the Medicare office will never send someone to your door to talk about Medicare and ask for your information. Be security aware of these people and send them on their way!
#5 Home disasters
There are over 300,000 home fires every year. With such a large number of home fires that happen each year, it would be best for you and your family to be aware of the possibilities of being a victim of one.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, senior citizens are 2.5 times more likely to die in a home fire than other ages. Seniors are typically more limited when it comes to mobility and can’t escape a home fire as fast as others.
A way to be security-aware of a home fire is by conducting an escape plan and ensuring your smoke alarms are up to date. It would help if you also considered having a list of emergency contacts at the front of your home, such as the local police department, poison control, and local hospital. When you are prepared for a home disaster, you are helping yourself be ready for the inevitable.
Final point
As you can tell, having security awareness will benefit you in many different aspects of life. It’s always better to be overprotected than under-protected. With senior citizens being a prime target to many scams and hackers, having security awareness is vital at this point in your life.
