The safety of your parents, your grandparents - or worse, your parent or grandparent - living alone is probably always on your mind. For every woman with elderly parents or in-laws living close by, there are many more with parents living far away.

Still, some constructive planning and groundwork can help to crime-proof our loved ones' lives and keep them as safe as possible. As you read our tips, many more ideas will come to mind to better safeguard their interests. Of course, nothing substitutes for regular visits and keeping in touch on the telephone and by e-mail.

Lay The Groundwork

➢ Ensure that all doors and windows are barred with strong iron grills.

➢ Make sure that the entrance to the flat has a double door so that the occupant will be able to screen visitors. Also install a chain or safety latch on the door and a peephole.

➢ If possible, keep a guard dog to deter unwanted company.

➢ Install a burglar alarm system and connect it with their neighbour's house.

➢ Register particulars and photographs of their domestic help and tenants with the local police station.

➢ Do not let them hire domestic help without two confirmed references of prior employment. Talk to these people and ascertain why they had left those jobs, what one should watch out for, etc.

➢ Discourage the keeping of valuables at home.

➢ Also gently persuade them not to talk about the family finances and comings and goings.

➢ Everyday Precautions

➢ Make sure you share these tips with your elders:

➢ Look through the peephole before opening the door. Do not open the door if you feel uneasy about the visitor. Arrange with your neighbour to come out and verify the person's identity.

➢ Keep vital telephone numbers handy for an emergency.

➢ Introduce yourself to the inspector at your local police station, so that he can put a face to your calls for help.

➢ Do not hesitate to call the police if you find someone or something suspicious.

➢ Don't be a recluse - keep socialising in whatever capacity you can. This will not only keep you active, but also agile in mind and reflexes.

➢ Don't allow your domestic help to have people stay with them.

➢ Always try to go out in a group for an evening or morning walk.

➢ When you go out, carry only what you need - don't burden yourself with unnecessary bags and parcels, which will hamper your ability to protect yourself. If attacked, do not hesitate to hand over whatever the assailant wants; possessions are less important than preventing injury.

➢ Before you leave home each day, mentally plot your route and think about whom you could call on for help in that area if you should need to.

➢ Institute a system of keeping in touch with your children. The knowledge that someone is checking on your welfare regularly will deter assailants and robbers.

➢ Invite trusted neighbours and relatives over regularly. An oft-visited house is less of a temptation to robbers.

➢ Do not allow service providers like the 'dhobi' and milkman to enter your home.

Food Safety For The Elderly

As our bodies age, they become more susceptible to food-borne diseases and more likely to suffer indigestion from eating too much or too rich foods. Since the sense of smell is impaired as we grow older, the elderly may also not be able to easily discern when food is going bad. Once ill, they also take longer to get well again. Additionally, since the elderly living alone may find it difficult to summon help when they are taken ill suddenly, it makes all the more sense to make sure that they receive a well balanced diet and food from impeccable sources.

Resource Info

The Delhi Police has a special cell to coordinate the safety and security of senior citizens.

The 24-hour emergency helplines: 1291 and 1091

Website: www.delhipolice.nic.in

E-mail: delpol@del2.vsnl.net.in

Dignity Foundation is working with the Government of Maharashtra on a special project to ensure the safety of seniors.

Dignity helplines: Mumbai Tel: 23898078; Chennai Tel: 26473165; Kolkata Tel: 24741314

Website: www.dignityfoundation.com