When you are disabled and home alone, it can be scary because you are more vulnerable, and a lot can happen when there is no one around to help you. Some disabled people cannot be left home alone for long periods of time or at all because they are completely dependent on others, but a vast majority of disabled people live alone and don’t always need to be supervised. As a disabled person, I am not usually left alone for long periods of time because I can’t drive to the store to get food, but I can’t be left alone and not be in any danger. Disabled people can be left home alone and be totally safe, and a lot of people live alone and are by themselves a vast majority of the time and nothing bad happens. The belief that all disabled people need someone with them 24/7 is simply not true, and it depends on what disability you have, because not all disabled people are completely dependent on others. How do you stay safe when you are disabled and home alone? In this post, I am sharing how I stay safe when I am home alone.
Get an alarm system- When you are disabled, having some kind of security system can save lives because the last thing you want to do when you can easily be overpowered is investigate suspicious activity. Disabled people can easily be overpowered by a non-disabled person because we can’t move as quickly as a non-disabled person, and our disabilities could be used against us in a dangerous situation. An alarm system can make it easier for a disabled person to know when there is an emergency because, unless someone hacks your alarm system, you will hear the sirens and know when to call for help. If you have the funds, an alarm system is a great investment because as soon as your alarm goes off, help could be on the way in minutes. Make sure you aren’t putting what alarm company you use on your front lawn because some criminals know how to hack these systems, and you don’t want to make it easy for someone to burglarize your home.
Don’t answer the door for anyone you don’t know- Parents often teach their children to not talk to strangers or answer the door for someone they do not know. I think that rule shouldn’t only be for kids, and it can also be a good practice for disabled people who are home alone. When I am home alone, I very rarely will not answer the door unless I am asked to because I have to turn off my alarm, and it can be a hassle. If I ordered an expensive package that needs to be brought in immediately, which is not often, sometimes I will go outside to bring it in once the delivery driver has left, but most times I wait until someone comes home. As a disabled person, I try not to walk outside when I am home alone because I don’t want to make it too obvious that I am home alone. If I lived alone, I would probably not be able to wait until someone was with me every single time to answer the door, but since I still live with my parents, I don’t have to do things that make me feel unsafe.
Have your cell phone nearby- If I am home alone, I always make sure that my phone is within arm’s reach because if I were to fall and couldn’t get up, I don’t want to be in a situation where I can’t call for help. If I am home alone, usually people will call to check on me every couple of hours, and I don’t always answer immediately because it depends on what I am doing. My phone is always close by, and you will never see me home alone, and my phone be in another room. You can get an emergency call button, which is a button that you wear on your neck like a necklace that you can press when there is an emergency. I don’t have one of those yet because you have to get approval from your doctor for insurance to cover it.
Don’t try to do things that could risk falling- Disabled people have more of a fall risk than non-disabled people because when you have poor stability, it is easier to lose your balance. It is almost impossible to completely prevent yourself from ever falling because anyone can fall, and unless you are sitting in your bed watching TV, there will always be a small risk. As a disabled person, I am well aware that I fall more easily and there is nothing I can do to change that but I have an idea of what types of things I can do safely most of the time. When I am not home alone sometimes, I will take more risks because I know if it is a complete disaster and I fall, there is someone to help me, but I don’t take those same risks when I am home alone. When I am home alone, I take more safety precautions I wouldn’t take if someone were home, and I don’t attempt to do things I am not confident I can do successfully. I walk around my house a lot when I am home alone, but my wheelchair is always available, so I don’t have to do something I don’t feel safe doing. There is still a small risk that I could fall because you can eliminate every risk, but it is much lower when I have my wheelchair.
Get some camera’s- We have an alarm system, but we always have a few extra cameras for even more protection. There are no cameras in my house because you want to have some level of privacy, but we have cameras throughout the entire perimeter of our house. When you are disabled, cameras can make you feel safe because criminals don’t usually target homes that have a lot of cameras, and will go to a home that is easier to break into.
Never publicly announce you are home alone– I have created reels when I am home alone because I create my best work when it’s quiet and there is no one around to distract. You will never know when I film content and am home alone because I never state that. As a content creator, it is important to be aware of your surroundings because you never know who is stalking you online.
Disabled people have to take more safety precautions when they are home alone than non-disabled people, but as long as you are in a safe environment, it is totally safe to leave a disabled person home alone. I get more anxious when I am left alone, but it can be good to leave my home alone because I learn to manage my anxiety when I am in a situation that makes me a little more anxious. If a disabled person is completely dependent on others, you might not be able to leave them by themselves, but for those of us who can do most things without needing assistance, it’s totally safe. Many disabled people live alone because you can live independently with a disability, and you just may have to do some things a little differently than non-disabled people. How do you stay safe while being home alone? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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