Keep Keys Safe with Master Lock

One thing that seems to happen a lot around my house is that my mother loses her key all the time. She has lost the one to the laundry room as well. I think it has more to do with her getting older than it does with her simply misplacing it. Although she is real quick to swear that one of the kids did something with it. Master Lock has helped me a whole lot with their 5422D Portable Key Safe.

It has allowed me to leave my mother’s key or the laundry room key on the door and all she has to do is push a couple of numbers and have the key. This is also great for the kids as well. Using the 5422D Portable Key Safe is very easy to use and can be taken anywhere with me. It means regardless of whether or not my mother is here with me or with my siblings we don’t have to worry about her not having a key or losing it. With her being at that age (senior citizen…don’t call her that out loud though!) she has to take extra care about most things. Master Lock has some great tips to help in that area:

 

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.