September 2016

safety

27 Tips to Stay Safe in Your Home

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Every year thousands of seniors are treated in medical centers and emergency rooms for injuries due to common household items.  Many of these injuries result from safety hazards that are easy to overlook, but are also easy to fix.  At Aftenro, we want to support seniors’ wishes to live in their own home for as long as possible.  Here are some of our tips to help you stay safe in your home:

Medications

  1. Take your medications exactly as your doctor tells you to and as the bottle instructs. Do not make any changes to your prescribed medications without calling your doctor first.
  2. Keep a list of your medications with the drug name, dose and how often you need to take them. Remember to update the list each time there is a medication change. Put a copy of the list in your wallet in case you need emergency medical care.
  3. Make sure any doctor you are seeing is aware of all the medications you are taking, including prescriptions, vitamins, herbal supplements and over-the-counter medications.
  4. Make all your purchases from one pharmacy whenever possible. They can help you track your medications and let you know of any possible side effects.
  5. Use a pill planner to set up your medications if you are getting dosage times and days confused. Ask your pharmacy how to use this planner if you have questions. Seek medical assistance if you cannot manage your medications.
  6. Don’t take medications prescribed for someone else. This could have dangerous consequences for your health.

Bedroom safety

  1. Keep a flashlight and a telephone on a bedside table.
  2. Use only UL-approved electric blankets. To prevent overheating, do not tuck in or put anything on top of an electric blanket.
  3. Sit on the edge of the bed before standing to avoid becoming dizzy.
  4. Keep a cane or walker by the bed.
  5. Adjust the height of your bed so that it’s easy to get into and out of.
  6. Use nightlights to illuminate doorways and pathways to the bathroom and kitchen.
  7. Keep walkways clear of electrical cords, loose rug edges and protruding chairs or tables.
  8. Install a carbon monoxide detector.

Bathroom safety

  1. Help prevent falls in the tub or shower by installing grab bars and non-slip mats.
  2. Reduce the water heater temperature to 120˚F or below to avoid accidental scalding.
  3. Use a shower chair.

Fire Safety

  1. Install smoke detectors and check their batteries regularly.
  2. Get a fire extinguisher and learn how to use it.
  3. Make a fire exit plan.
  4. Use extreme caution with portable heaters.
  5. Unplug appliances when not in use.
  6. Use extension cords with caution. Do not exceed the UL rating.

Kitchen safety

  1. Avoid reaching overhead or bending low.  Store often-used items on shelves that are easily accessible.
  2. Place the microwave on a counter or table for easy access.
  3. Wear rubber-soled shoes to prevent slipping.
  4. Clearly mark the “off” position on the stove or range.

Following these tips may help seniors to stay in their own homes longer, allowing for greater autonomy and less injury.

jury duty scam

5 Steps to Avoiding the Jury Duty Scam

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For over a decade and from coast to coast, fraudsters have successfully been manipulating seniors over the phone through intimidation and confusion.  Not only do these criminals receive a quick payout, but also glean sensitive personal information that may result in future identity theft.
It starts with an after-hours phone call when fraudulent callers falsely claim to be members of local police, sheriff’s department, the U.S. Marshals, or other law enforcement offices claims.  The recipient is then told that they have failed to appear for mandated jury duty, missed a court-summoned order to appear as a defendant in a case, have a warrant out for their arrest, or are in contempt of court.  The caller ID may even display correct phone numbers for a law enforcement agency or a courthouse while the caller may cite names of known police and judges.  The scheme is to make the recipient fearful, wondering if they have indeed missed a summons.
Next, the fraudulent caller states that the victim must pay a fine, usually in the form of a prepaid debit or gift card.  He will then ask to confirm the recipient’s identity by soliciting legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and other ID theft details.  At this point, the scammer has the minimum information needed to empty bank accounts, open lines of credit, and access sensitive medical records.

The jury duty scam can be avoided by following these 5 steps:

 
1.  Hang up without providing any confidential information.  The fraudulent caller’s only goal is to gather as many sensitive details about the recipient as possible so that they are able to steal as much as possible from them.  Avoid releasing these specifics.

2.   Know what to expect in the mail.  Most authentic jury duty notifications and other summonses are delivered by mail. Only in very rare cases will a prospective jurors be called by legitimate courthouse employees.  However, this will only ocur after a jury duty summons was mailed but returned to sender because it couldn’t be delivered.  You will never won’t be asked for personal information such as your Social Security number, birth date or driver’s license number.

3.  Recognize that legitimate law enforcement officials do not call ahead to warn of an impending arrest, missing jury duty, or any other infraction.

4.  Do not answer unknown calls after business hours.  Fraudulent will attempt to make contact in the evening after the courthouse has closed because they know they have a better chance of reaching their intended victims.

5.  Verify missed jury allegations with the court clerk or other jury duty coordinator.  Thieves can manipulation the caller ID to display the name and phone number of any agency or business, so don’t be fooled by their ability to appear authentic.
If you have further questions or concerns regarding this long-standing scam, please contact your local law enforcement agency.