The elderly deserves a place of peace and tranquility which offers them a respite from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. In a retirement home they can be looked after and enjoy assisted living in a dignified manner. However, crime does rear its ugly head in retirement homes. This can range from the petty and internal (like with pilfering and theft of personal items, often by staff members) to the more serious crimes (including robberies and assaults against the elderly or the staff of homes). Robberies have become an all too common occurrence at retirement homes and frail care facilities, with the elderly seen as easy, soft targets. Shockingly, an elderly woman was shot to death at a Jewish retirement home outside Kansas City in April 2014, the victim of a hate crime. Security at homes and facilities for the elderly does tend to be lax, in keeping with the peaceful environment that they wish to create. This can be a mistake.
Fortunately, OSP can offer retirement home owners and management teams security solutions that can include:
- a fully integrated security risk assessment for the retirement facility
- considerations regarding the size and location of the facility, as well as the mix of elderly who are homed therein
- assessment of adjacent and nearby road traffic and foot traffic relevant to the estate’s security profile, as well as the local crime profile
- a security gaps and needs analysis for the facility for the aged
- access control measures, including hours of operation, visiting times, etc.
- surveillance / CCTV / motion sensor and other allied capabilities
- panic button survey / viability
- security personnel profiling / hiring / vetting
- security profiles for other personnel and contractors for the estate
- liaison and response profile with local law enforcement
Retirement home and allied facilities should be as safe and secure as the elderly deserve them to be. A lax approach to security will put people and property at risk within the home. That is why a proper security management assessment and system should be essential for any retirement home.
OSP’s commitment is to provide our esteemed clients who own or manage retirement homes and facilities with security solutions that are customer-oriented and customized to suit a specific home or facility. The security of a home for the aged is our objective and what drives the service that we provide.
It is what we do – and we do so with pride and conviction.