Protecting Our Aging Family & Loved Ones

Aug 9

Drawing of an elderly couple with a real hand forming a roof peak over them, symbolizing safety and protection. — A thoughtful illustration of an elderly couple standing close together, with a real hand positioned above them, forming a protective roof-like structure to represent care and safety for aging loved ones

It happens so quickly — aging. With the blink of an eye, it sneaks up on us.

My dad is 80 and my mom in her mid 70’s. They weren’t supposed to get old; at least, I never realized it would happen until the reality set in a couple years ago.

I worry about their mental and physical well being. I’m concerned about depression and social isolation. As our loved ones get older, they begin to lose friends and family, and their abilities and energy lessens.

Psychology tells us that in our older age, we begin to reflect on our lives and assess the legacy we may leave behind, as well as what we’ve accomplished (or failed at).

For all these reasons I wanted to present some valuable information that relates to ensuring the longevity of your loved ones, be they immediate family members, older relatives, or pets. presented help you!

11 Essential Home Safety Tips for Aging Loved Ones

Remove all potential tripping hazards within the home, (i.e., cords, dog toys, or rugs with corners that turn up).
Have a complete list of medications readily available and easy for
emergency medical professionals to find. It might be a good idea to post it on the front of the refrigerator .
Be sure that the house number is clearly visible from the street.
Check all ground-level windows, doors, and access points to make sure
they are securely locked.
Have an emergency call list easy to find within the home. It might be a good idea to position this list in the same place as the list of emergency medications.
Install a security system within the home
Place flashlights and stocked emergency medical kits throughout the house. Make sure the batteries are fully charged for the flashlights to function.
Have emergency supplies ready to go for your pets.
Make sure your fire extinguishers have passed inspection and that they are not expired. Position them in areas of the home where a fire may be more common (such as the kitchen).
Install motion lights and outdoor cameras. Check them regularly to make sure they have not been tampered with and that they function properly.
Add a tracking device to all of your vehicles.

Common Scams Waged Against the Elderly

Elderly person talking on the phone while holding a debit or credit card in their left hand. — A concerned elderly individual speaking on the phone, clutching a debit or credit card in their left hand, symbolizing vulnerability to common scams targeting seniors, such as financial fraud or impersonation schemes.

Romance scam: Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on social media or dating websites to capitalize on their elderly victim’s desire to find a companion.

Tech support scam: Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues. The scammers gain remote access to victims’ devices and sensitive information.
Grandparent scam: Criminals pose as a relative—usually a child or grandchild—claiming to be in trouble or immediate financial need. For example, they might pose as a grandson and claim that they have been in a terrible car accident, and that they will need money for hospital payments.
Government impersonation scam: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute victims unless they agree to provide funds or other payments.
Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim to work for legitimate charitable organizations to gain victims’ trust. Or, they claim their targets have won a foreign lottery or sweepstake, which they can collect for a ‘fee.’
IRS (Internal Revenue Service) scams - Thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams. Scammers use the regular mail, telephone, or email to set up individuals, businesses, payroll and tax professionals. Learn More About IRS Scams Here.
It is important to know that the IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information.
Home repair scam: Criminals appear in person and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement services that they never provide.
TV/radio scam: Criminals target potential victims using illegitimate advertisements about legitimate services, such as reverse mortgages or credit repair.
Family/caregiver scam: Relatives or acquaintances of the elderly victims take advantage of them or otherwise get their money.

How To Report A Potential Scam - https://tips.fbi.gov/contact

What Belongs on an Emergency Contact List?

As someone who has been involved in the emergency medical field and in law enforcement, emergency contact information and a clear list of medications is vital. Have this information clearly posted in the kitchen — it’s where responders always look first.

Family Member First Contact
- Full name
- Phone #
- Address
- Email
Primary Care Doctor
- Full name
- Practice name & address
- Phone #
- Email
Neighbor (In Case Family Member is Not Available)
- Full name
- Phone #
- Address
- Email
Friend or Family Member (2nd Contact)
- Full name
- Phone #
- Address
- Email

How to Prevent Household Falls

Falls are the most dangerous and most common traumatic incident that can harm our loved ones. I have responded to many calls in my career where we discovered an elderly person who had been on the floor from a fall for hours, sometimes days.

My heart breaks for them. They are alone, scared, and desperate to be helped. These images flash into my brain and I immediately think, What if that was my mom or dad? With that in mind, here are the best ways to safeguard your home so that falls are less likely to occur.

Improve lighting within the home. You may need to test different lightbulbs to see which one works best for you or your loved ones.
Introduce an exercise routine that helps with balancing and/or keeps the legs and bodies moving. Aquatic-based activities like water Zumba, or slow but challenging practices like yoga may be useful here.
Remove extension cords or lamp cords that lie in walking areas.
Place non-slip bathmats on the bathroom floor & shower floor.
Install handholds in bathrooms, showers, indoor staircases, and outdoor staircases or entryways.
Purchase and activate a fall alert alarm – (See what we recommend)

4 Ways to Improve Your Health

Ok, we’re all a little stubborn, I get that. Even I have to realize that as I age, I must vary my diet and eat healthy. Diabetes runs within my blood and is of specific concern for my mom and dad. It is imperative that they and all older adults eat healthy meals, exercise regularly, reduce their levels of stress. Here are four tips to start improving your health (or your loved ones’ health) right now.

Find healthy and easy-to-prepare meals and snacks. Look to utilize fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats (which give the body a sense of fullness and take longer to digest).
Take some time each day to be active. Walking is a fantastic way to keep moving and limit too much risk of getting hurt. This could mean biking around a loop, walking a dog, or lifting weights when it comes to physical health. Fitbits are a great way to encourage exercise and with so many options, they are completely reasonably priced. For mental health, it might help to subscribe to a daily crossword puzzle or read a chapter from a book each day. The point is to maintain neural connections in the brain and keep muscles strong.
Drink lots of water and stay hydrated. We hear this all of the time, but many of us do not drink half as much water as we should be drinking. Water helps nutrients and other essential elements (like oxygen) move through the bloodstream. It also helps us get rid of waste. When these processes slow down due to lack of water, that can cause problems like dehydration, constipation, headache, or confusion.
Find ways to be social. Whether it’s exercising with a sibling, playing cards with a group of friends, or going to see a performance in town with a partner, it is important to feel a sense of connection to others, particularly during a time when it is common to lose the people we love.

5 Items To Have In An Emergency Kit

If there is one thing we have learned over COVID, it is that we can never be too prepared. This concept most certainly applies to our beloved senior citizens.

Position an emergency kit in your loved one’s home. Make sure it is easy to access and that it has an extra supply of everything they (or you) may need to stay alive while waiting for help to arrive, for the power to get turned back on, or for the storm to pass over.

Dried and Canned Food — items that don’t need to be kept cold or frozen and that will remain edible in the event of a power outage.

Bottled Water — in the scenario where you lose access to city or well water, bottled water will come in handy when it comes time to hydrating, cooking, bathing, brushing your teeth, or washing your hands.

Extra Flashlights — in the middle of a disaster like a hurricane or tornado, it is common for the power to go out. Sometimes an outage can last for minutes or hours, whereas more extreme disasters can disrupt power flow for days and weeks. Extra flashlights will help you find the items you need during an emergency.

Matches, Lighters, and Candles — for when the flashlight batteries die and there is no way to recharge them.

Medical Supplies — these include bandages, gauze, sanitizers, rubber gloves and masks, etc. Basically, you want to be able to treat any kind of injury or illness. This also includes hygiene supplies like sanitary napkins, soap, and toilet paper.

Elderly woman petting a golden retriever in a warm, comforting moment. — An elderly woman lovingly petting a golden retriever, showcasing the bond between pets and their owners. This image highlights the importance of considering pet safety during emergency situations.

Pet Safety Tips
for Emergency Situations

I come from a family that loves our dogs. Even now, my mom and dad’s dog keeps them moving and happy.

I love this relationship and love to feel how happy she makes them. If those you love already have a pet, here are some good tips to keep everyone safe and happy.

Have paper towels readily available around food and water dishes. Spills, extra treats, or kibble on the floor are dangerous and need to be cleaned up immediately.
Sometimes we need to spend a little extra money and get our over-excited pets trained. As we get older and less stable, a jumping dog could result in terrible consequences.
Do not forget your pets in times of emergencies. We put together an emergency kits for ourselves, not we need one for our pets. These supplies may include extra food and bottled water, an emergency blanket, a leash and collar, a new toy, some extra treats, and a safety flashing light that can be placed on their collars.

Take the time today to actively get involved in the lives of your aging loved ones, family members, friends and neighbors.

They were there for you and others you loved, and now is the time when they need you.

Do not forget about them. Regret upon loss is a terrible thing that only time can make better. Our time on this planet is short: who wants to waste time recovering from that empty feeling of not doing enough?

Take the steps, embrace those you love as tomorrow is not promised and only right now, right now is for sure.

See Some Emergency Pet Supplies Here!