Senior Safety from Master Lock & Sentry Safe #Giveaway

With nearly 50 million citizens age 65 and older living in the United States and Canada, seniors represent one of the fastest growing population segments, but also a demographic commonly targeted for crime. As the senior population continues to increase – it’s expected to nearly double by 2050 in the U.S. and 2035 in Canada – so too does the need for senior safety education. As part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to keep consumers safe through every life stage and season, Master Lock offers its top safety tips for seniors.

1.       Be Alert When Out and About: Property crimes represent the highest share of crimes against those 65 and older – nearly nine out of 10 – according to the National Elder Law Network. Master Lock recommends that seniors be alert and aware of their surroundings when out of the house and to keep valuables protected. For example, always lock cars, even if they’ll only be unattended for a few minutes. Keep packages and valuables out of sight, and always check the area around your car before entering or exiting. When out in public, women should wear their purses close to their body and men should carry their wallet in an inside coat or front pant pocket.

2.       Lock Up Home Safety: Typically a place of comfort and refuge, seniors should never have to worry about safety in their own home. For added protection beyond traditional door and window locks, safeguard sliding glass and patio doors with the added strength of a Master Lock 265DCCSEN Door Security Bar and consider a home alarm system to alert against intruders. Keep doors locked both when you’re home and away, but allow access to a friend or family member in case of emergency by storing a spare key in a trusted key safe, such as the Master Lock 5422D Key Safe.

3.       Secure Personal Items in a Group Home Environment: Misplaced or stolen belongings are a frequent complaint of nursing home residents. Keep valuables safe by storing them in an easy-to-use, locked safe that only you and a trusted companion know the combination to. Small items, such as credit cards, jewelry or cash, fit in the portable Master Lock 5900D SafeSpace, while larger items, like documents or memorabilia, can be stored in a fire-resistant safe from Sentry Safe.

4.       Protect Against Identity Theft: Mature consumers (ages 50 and over) represent the largest demographic of identity theft victims, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Why? Consumers in this age group typically have more assets than younger consumers, making them ideal targets.

Reduce your risk by never carrying your social security card; shredding documents that contain any identifying information; keeping personal information such as bank statements, Medicare statements and social security numbers in a locked safe; and storing credit card numbers in a safe location for easy retrieval if they’re lost or stolen. The Master Lock Vault – a free, digital safe deposit box – is a secure, reliable location for storing credit card numbers and digital copies of important documents for easy access from any smart phone or computer.

5.       Think Twice Before Divulging Personal Information: Seniors are also major targets of fraud, such as telemarketing scams, according to the American Association of Retired Persons. Follow the general rule of thumb that if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Never rush into signing anything, and never give your credit card, Social Security, Medicare or bank account details to anyone over the phone. When in doubt, check with the Better Business Bureau or police.

For more safety tips and products, visit the Master Lock website at www.masterlock.com or the Master Lock Facebook page at www.facebook.com/masterlock.

 My Thoughts

No matter what your age, it's a good idea to have a Sentry Safe in your home. It protects your valuable papers from a variety of threats. Flooding, fire, or theft-- the sentry safe could save some of your important treasures if any of these disasters strike. Personally, I don't often keep cash in the house (that's play money in the safe) and most of my jewelry is silver, so  it's not worth that much, but I still have some things that I like to store in my safe. Birth certificates, car titles social security cards--these things are a hassle to replace so it's best to keep them safe. We also have a few valuable collectibles that we can store in there. And I always keep my USB drives in a fireproof box. Then all my family photos and important online documents are safe as well.

The Sentry Safe is a great investment for anyone who has anything special to store. It's very sturdy and also extremely heavy. If someone breaks into your house, they aren't going to be able to run down the street with this, that's for sure. Yet, it's also compact. I have a pair of filing cabinets I'm putting on top of it, which helps conserve space. Inside, there is plenty of room. There's even an adjustable  shelf to help keep things organized and a little tray on the door for smaller items.

The bolts that hold this thing closed are practically indestructible. It's not going to be easy to get into this safe without the combination. Using your safe is simple too. The lock combination works pretty much the same as any other. There are three numbers to unlock it, which can be found inside the manual. Just make sure you keep that manual if you don't have a good memory because without it, you aren't getting back in.  I just love this safe. I feel way more secure having it in my home.

The Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive a Sentry Safe. To enter just fill out the giveaway tools  form below. Open to the US only. Giveaway will end 3/2/15. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to Master Lock for offering this fantastic prize.

Entry-Form