Safety First!

Posted by pml @pml, Sep 12 8:18pm

My husband died two months ago and after 30 years with a wonderful man that I love very much I find myself living totally alone! I began thinking, "What if something should happen?" So I started taking precautions to prevent things from happening:
-I put the phone in the bathroom nearby when I take a shower in case I fell and had to call 911. I also leave the back door unlocked when I shower. If the police have to come and can't get in, they will knock the door down! The rest of the day and night, all doors and windows are locked!
-I have a car alarm to guard against theft.
-I go shopping very early in the morning. I live 15 miles north of Seattle and all their drug using population who are now drifting up into our area. But early in the morning, they are all passed out and it's safe to shop.
-I don't have garage sales. I don't want strangers to know where I live!
-I have no decorative shades on ceiling lights so it's easier and safer to change a light bulb. (I get dizzy if I look up too long.)

That's about as far as I've gotten regarding my safety. Does anyone have any other suggestions that I could consider? I'd really appreciate it!
PML

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@californiazebra

I agree with others to lock the door while in the shower. I live in a condo and lock my door at all times.

Easier to use text check in than phone calls. I had my mother send me an email every morning just to say she was up and okay. If I didn’t receive a message by noon then I would call. If no answer then I’d go check on her because she fell a lot. Just be sure you keep your message cheery. My mother started using it to vent about everything every morning and that was a hard way to start my day.

Keep your phone with you at all times not just the shower. Or the Apple Watch or emergency alert. You know Murphy’s Law.

When cooking, don’t ever leave the kitchen. My mother was frying meat and went to the bathroom. She fell and couldn’t get up. Luckily she listened to me about keeping her phone in her walker so she was able to call me. We had a neighbor come in and turn off the stove. I moved in with her after that scary episode.

Again when cooking or baking, stay in the kitchen or sit at the dining table if you need to sit so you don’t forget you’re cooking and don’t accidentally fall asleep in a comfy recliner.

Only give your car key to the mechanic or valet. Never leave your house key on the ring.

I always check the doors before I go to bed to be sure I did lock them.

I keep a nightlight in the bathroom so I’m not walking around in the dark.

Do you have grab bars in your shower? Especially needed if stepping in and out of a tub shower.

I’ll keep thinking about precautions I take.

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I visited friends who installed a grab bar that affixed easily to the wall with strong suction cups.

They bought it on Amazon.

What a thoughtful act for a visitor and no damage to the shower wall.

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@lindabro

I visited friends who installed a grab bar that affixed easily to the wall with strong suction cups.

They bought it on Amazon.

What a thoughtful act for a visitor and no damage to the shower wall.

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Grab bars in the shower are so wonderful; especially when you get older! We have two in our shower and they help a lot! That was so nice of your visitor to do that!
PML

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@lindabro

So sorry. Let me add these suggestions after two friends fell in the shower and could not get up to reach the phone on the bathroom counter.

1) Wear waterproof alert equipment,

2) hang the phone* so it can be reached from the floor near the shower and retrieved without bending over to the floor.

* in a bag

Both friends had friends who lived out-of-town and who called the local police to do a welfare check when phone calls were not returned.

Both ended up in a rehab facility and soon moved to a senior complex. One nearly died after three days on the bathroom floor naked.

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That is terrible about that poor person who lay naked three days on the floor! That is why you need a phone close. You never know what can happen! Good suggestion! What do you mean by water proof alert equipment?
Thanks!
PML

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@lindabro

If you have a smoke alarm on a ceiling that needs a ladder to reach for the battery to be replaced, call the local fire department,

In my rural Oregon community, that is a community service. Of course, provide the new battery.
may come and install the new

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Good idea! I hadn't even thought of that! Thank you!
PML

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Yes, I have suggestions.
Never leave a door unlocked at any time. Paramedics and police can go thru a window, some have Skelton keys, those are keys that will open anything.
Get a shower chair, and put grab bars in shower.
Pick up loose rugs, you don’t need them, you can trip and fall.
Let the phone ring, you can always call a person back, and what makes you think if you need the police you will be able to call them. If you are able get a care companion or house help at your home when you shower, but NEVER LEAVE DOORS UNLOCKED.
anyone out there with other ideas?

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@pml

That is terrible about that poor person who lay naked three days on the floor! That is why you need a phone close. You never know what can happen! Good suggestion! What do you mean by water proof alert equipment?
Thanks!
PML

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A cover for the phone or life alert device.

I read in another post on this topic that an Apple Watch is less expensive than a life alert device.

Maybe that watch is waterproof.

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@pml

The Apple watch sounds good! I didn't know they did all those things. Do they replace cell phones? I'll look into getting one.
I don't have any area rugs at all for the reason you stated. I keep the rooms in my home free of clutter that you can trip on.
I love bright lights! I have more 100 watt bulbs than most people but I see well with them!
I will look into having someone check on me daily. Other people have suggested this to me also. It makes sense.
Thank you for the good suggestions!
PML

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You can get a cellular Apple Watch. The volume isn't as loud as a "real" cell phone and, of course, the screen is smaller so it's harder to see things like text messages but it does have decent accessibility features meaning it will read your texts to you and you can respond by voice instead of having to type on a VERY tiny keyboard. It also costs $10-$15 a month for cell service. If you already have an iPhone the watch can connect to that from pretty far away (basically, for me, anywhere in my house) and you don't need to pay the extra $$.

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@lindabro

A cover for the phone or life alert device.

I read in another post on this topic that an Apple Watch is less expensive than a life alert device.

Maybe that watch is waterproof.

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The watch is waterproof for swimming and showering but you do have to recharge it once a day for about an hour. I do this while I'm reading or sometimes overnight while sleeping. Also, if you leave it on in the shower, you should periodically take it off and wipe down the band because it can cause some skin irritation if water gets trapped behind the band and against your skin.

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