Top Five Safety and Security Questions To Ask When Researching Senior Living Options - Brothers Fire & Security

Happy New Year!

The impact the Baby Boomer generation has on senior living cannot be underestimated, and the numbers prove it.

• The Population Reference Bureau says seniors over the age of 64 compose 16 percent—52 million—of the current population.
• The number of households with people age 80 and over jumped 71 percent from 4.4 million in 1990 to 7.5 million in 2016, according to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.
• There are approximately 23,500 professionally managed senior housing and nursing care communities in the U.S., representing 3.04 million professionally managed units/beds, CBRE National Senior Housing reports.

We are all facing these facts—and statistics—of life. Whether you’re a 65+ new retiree couple wanting to downsize, or an adult child looking into assisted living for your parents, finding the right place takes careful consideration. Do your research. Check online reviews. Take tours of facilities. Ask the right questions. Get accurate answers.

What’s Next? with Diana Pierce

Many thanks to Diana Pierce for recently discussing the following important fire and security questions that every family needs to know when considering senior living options. CLICK HERE to view the show that aired on December 5th, 2019.

Ensuring Safety and Security

Among the key senior living issues that must be addressed are safety and security. To guide you through the search process, I developed the Top Five Safety and Security Questions to ask when looking for a new place to call home for those entering this next stage of life.

1. Building Access: Keep Your Senior’s Capabilities in Mind – What access equipment does the facility have and how much security can your senior physically handle? (keys, keypads, doors, etc.)
2. Personal Safety: Security Monitoring – What does the company provide for security monitoring services?
   • 24/7 coverage inside and outside
   • Full-time security guards for emergencies
   • Visitor access
   • Data storage
3. Where are the fire extinguishers located and who has been trained to operate them?
   • Extinguishers are right for the space
   • Staff is trained in how to use equipment and reset monitoring equipment
   • Kitchen hoods are cleaned regularly
   • There’s a no smoking policy
4. Annual Inspections and Equipment Servicing – Are all the required safety and security inspections up-to-date and coordinated for all fire and security systems and equipment?
   • When the last inspection was done
   • Issues were resolved
   • Annual inspections are provided
   • Inspections and servicing are compliant with state code
5. Evacuation Plan: Saving Lives and Emergency Preparedness – Is there a current evacuation plan in place?
   • Who activates the plan in an emergency and who’s in charge
   • How often the staff is trained
   • There are alerts for severe weather, power outages, gas leaks, medical emergency, and intruders
   • Back-up generators

Having answers to important safety and security questions like these will lead you to the senior living experience that’s right for you and your family, supports your decision- making process, and brings you peace of mind. At Brothers Fire & Security we know all about the unique safety issues and needs of senior living, so give us a call. We can help you navigate this journey to find your loved ones’ Home Sweet Home.

About Brothers Fire & Security

As one of the premier providers of fire and security solutions in the Upper Midwest, Brothers Fire & Security strives to build long-term, value-added relationships. We work with business owners and property management companies, as well as all types of public institutions to solve fire and security needs. By taking advantage of our integrated bundled services, many of our clients find that they can save 25-30% on their safety services, annual inspections and more. From a single location to franchises throughout the region and the country, our integrated approach saves our clients valuable time, money and stress. We provide fire protection systems, security systems, fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, 24-7 monitoring, fire extinguishers, card access and kitchen hoods.