Thanks to advances in science and medicine, many families are able to enjoy the company and wisdom of their senior parents and grandparents longer than ever. Life expectancy averages have climbed over the last few decades to nearly 80, with one in four people over the age of 65 living by themselves. Whether living alone or with a spouse of similar age, home ownership presents new challenges with advancing age. Seniors and the children increasingly tasked with caring for their aging parents often seek to balance a high quality of life with a greater need for safety and security.
Thankfully, as advancing technology has increased the longevity and quality of the average American’s health, it has also allowed for incredible innovations in the way of home security systems. In fact, modern security systems and their automation capabilities can often help to bridge the gap between maintaining autonomy, securing the contemporary home, and providing both seniors and those responsible for their care with peace of mind.
Securing your golden years in style
We spend our lives working toward retirement, so getting the most out of the golden years is well-deserved. Retirees are often as ready to relax and enjoy their free time as they are to take trips, treat themselves to big-ticket items, or winter in warmer climes. Security systems can help to secure the lives and property of homeowners of any age, but they also contain features especially handy to seniors looking to protect the quality of some of the best years of their lives.
The modern connected home security system—the oft-regarded “smart home”—is built to increase convenience for homeowners without sacrificing safety. For seniors, this means taking advantage of easy-to-use automation features to control various aspects of the home from a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. Without ever needing to get up from the couch, seniors can use an application such as EPS Total Connect® to secure compatible door locks, turn off connected lights, or close their smart garage door. For those who liked to screen visitors before answering the door, the Skybell video doorbell can be integrated into the same platform, allowing seniors to see and communicate with guests without unnecessary risk and maximum convenience. It can even be used to arm or disarm the system remotely, a feature especially handy for mobility-limited individuals.
At the end of the day, a security system needs to do just that: secure a home from the various threats that face it. Per the US Department of Justice, seniors experience 1.7 million incidences of property crime yearly on average, and with the number of seniors only looking to increase in the coming years, it’s likely that this number will increase as well. A professionally monitored security system is required to both alert seniors of the immediate threat while also alerting local authorities. And it’s not just intruders—fires are the sixth-leading cause of death in older Americans, meaning a monitored life safety system is just as crucial. With between one third and one half of seniors suffering from some degree of hearing loss, the “alarm” sound on conventional smoke or carbon monoxide detectors may not be enough for seniors. This problem has been factored in the latest generation of life safety devices, with many devices coming with both visual alarm cues as well as voice alarms.
For seniors who winter outside of the state, a modern security system is an essential investment. Empty houses are prime targets for burglars and burglaries are expensive, costing homeowners around $2,000 per incident. Modern security systems can often integrate with home surveillance cameras, allowing seniors to check in on their houses from the winter from wherever they are without breaking a sweat.
Taking care of those who cared for you
For the adult children of seniors, navigating the waters between parental autonomy and elder care can be a tricky business. A smart home system can assist those responsible for checking in and caring for their older parents living apart or alone without the need of a constant, intrusive physical presence. For instance, on the EPS Total Connect® home automation platform, seniors can grant their adult children their own log-in. That way, sons and daughters can check camera feeds, ensure doors are locked, and even check alarm history to ensure the safety of their senior parents. Seniors can add children to their alarm accounts as well, adding their kids to the contact list in the event of an emergency or alarm and even to the account itself to assist in account maintenance.
The convenience of the EPS connected home is backed by the reliability of a professionally engineered, installed, and monitored security system. In the event of a burglary, fire, carbon monoxide leak, or even a burst pipe or flooded basement, adult children of seniors can rest assured knowing alarm signals are being sent and responded to by a local monitoring center for maximum efficiency in emergency service dispatch. And with an EPS service agreement, those caring for their parents won’t be on the hook with figuring out the ins and out of the system themselves, with technical support available to assist with system questions and service technicians at the ready in the off-chance an issue arises with the equipment itself.
Facilitating the future
Keeping elderly parents safe and secure is of paramount importance to their adult children, just as quality of life and autonomy is vital to seniors enjoying their retirement. A modern connected home security system can help facilitate the lifestyle seniors have earned after a lifetime of hard work—with safety and convenience to ensure peace of mind for both seniors and the adult children increasingly responsible for their care. With a professionally installed EPS Security system, both seniors and those who care for them can look forward to a bright, secure, and well-lived future.