Nursing Home Security
  Choosing to place your elderly loved one in a nursing home is a difficult decision, but it is often best for his or her well being.  But when crime takes place in a nursing home, his or her well being is compromised.  Often when moving into a nursing home, residents must leave behind a lifetime’s worth of possessions.  Because these senior citizens have such few personal belongings with them, the loss of any of them, especially by theft, is particularly painful.  There are several preemptive steps you can take to lower the chances of your loved one falling victim to poor nursing home security.

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Ask Some Questions
Effective nursing home security starts with a commitment to crime prevention and a zero-tolerance approach to criminals.  When you first speak to a nursing home staff member, ask what steps they take to prevent crime and find out their policy on criminal behavior.   You should also ask if any theft has occurred in recent months, if the crime was solved, and what the punishment was for the criminal.

Take a Look Around
When you visit a nursing home, take a good look around.  Good nursing home security is easy to spot:

·         Are there phones in each resident’s room?

·         Are there security cameras at the nurses’ station, each entry, and in the hallways?

·         Is there a security guard on the premises at all times?

·         Are all windows equipped with secure locks?

It is imperative that you are able to answer yes to each of the questions above.  If you can’t, move on to the next nursing home. 

Go the Extra Mile
Even if a home fits the above criteria; nursing home security isn’t 100 percent effective.  Hundreds of people go in and out of the nursing home everyday, and since many elderly people aren’t as strong as they once were, they are often the targets of theft.

When it’s time to move in, go the extra mile to prevent your loved one from becoming a victim:

·         Purchase a small personal safe for his or her room

·         Program your phone number into the phone in his or her room

·         Label all personal belongings

·         Take an inventory of all personal items and update it as necessary

·         Bolt down large valuables such as TVs and DVD players

During this difficult time, the last thing you or your loved one should have to deal with is crime.  The simple tasks of asking questions, looking around, and taking a few nursing home security precautions can make this transition easier on both you and your loved one.

 

Ralph Winn publishes articles, guides and reviews on security related topics. Ralph Winn has over 32 years of education and experience in the security industry. Your home should be your haven where you feel comfortable and secure. Everybody deserves to feel safe in their own home. The world around us can get hectic at times, and it's important to have a place of safety we can retreat to when times are tough. That's why our goal at the home security store is to help you find the best way to provide a protected environment for you and your loved ones. Ralph has created a user-friendly security forum for you to get answers.