Tips for Finding the Best Home Security System for the Elderly
A home is meant to be safe, but the sad truth is that some individuals may violate that safety and put families in danger. Elderly homeowners need to worry about the safety of their homes a little more. A home invader or burglar does not usually choose a home randomly but rather studies the target to learn as much as he or she can about the house. The chances are high that a burglar will know that an elderly person is living inside of a house. Burglars know that an elderly person generally will not be able to defend the house as well, making this household an easy target unless homeowners take precautions and find the best home alarm systems.
Understanding the Essentials
There is a lot to consider when checking out the best home alarm systems and their features, but those features become crucial for people who want to install a system that will work for an elderly person. The following are just a few essential functions that need to be included in a system that a homeowner is considering:
Two-Way Communication
One of the most important features that a home security system needs to have is the two-way communication feature. This function gives the homeowner the ability to talk directly to the system’s monitoring team should there be an issue with the alarm. A two-way communication system allows the homeowner to clarify if the alarm was triggered accidentally or not.
A two-way communication system also allows an elderly person to turn off the alarm system. It may be a good idea to ask the home security system specialist if the time allowed to disable the alarm could be adjusted. Some elderly people are physically capable of disarming an alarm but may not be as quick as others.
Emergency Tools
An elderly person might need help for a number of reasons, but what makes it worse is that he or she might not be able to call for help. This is the reason why some of the best home alarm systems offer emergency tools that can be helpful during these situations. There is an option of wearing a wristband that can be activated in case of an emergency or a pendant that can be worn around the neck.
Both of these tools are effective and waterproof, just in case. All the homeowner needs to do is purchase the tool, along with an additional service that comes along with the home security system.
An Automated Home
Another important step to remember is to automate the house to ensure that the house can be monitored when the homeowner is gone.
Automation ideas:
- Lights should be automated so that burglars think there is more than one person in the house.
- The thermostat should be automated to ensure that it is always at a comfortable level, even when the homeowner is away.
- The fire alarm needs to be automated to ensure that the phone can alert the homeowner of any danger. This should also include a CO2 sensor and flood sensor.
- Cameras should definitely be automated to gain access to live feed through the phone when the disabled person is home alone.
Adding Additional Protection
There are many great choices for security systems that need to be compatible with an elderly homeowner. The system is meant to prevent the house from being robbed, and it will do its job provided that homeowners pay attention to certain aspects. Keeping criminals away is all about making them nervous. This could be done with lawn signs, security cameras outside the house, flood lights, and a watchdog, just to name a few ideas.