Safety Archives - Mobility Plus

Staying safe online – 6 tips for older adults

by mobilityplus | 15th Mar, 2021 | Safety

Getting online gives us access to more of the world than ever before, all at the click of a button. With endless information, social networks and more all at our fingertips, it’s a wonderful way to stay connected and manage our independence. While moving more of our lives online can make our life easier in many ways, it also comes with an element of risk that we must all be aware of.

As popularity for internet usage grows, the rise of online scams increases evermore. Understanding how to identify, be aware of and protect yourself against internet scams can go a long way to ensuring your safety online. According to ONS data, in 2020, 96% of households across the UK had internet access. Further to that, 80% of houses with at least one person over the age of 65 were connected to the online world. While the over 65 group might still be the least likely to be heading online, the appetite for keeping up with technology continues to grow.

Spending time online should be an enjoyable experience. However, as trends continue to shift, there are still a number of older adults who admit they are not confident when spending time on the internet. Some of this is attributed to a lack of confidence in the use of new technologies. Another key factor affecting people’s confidence is related to concerns about cyber crime. To help users overcome their concerns around the threat of cyber crime, we’ve put together a guide of handy tips to enjoying the internet while staying safe online.

What are online scams?

Online scams or cyber crimes come in various forms and operate in different ways. Some will result in identity fraud, others in swindling money away from victims and some online scams can be a way to draw out information that can expose you to additional risk. Every year, millions of people are caught out by online scams and fall victim to cyber crime. As awareness around cyber scams continues to grow among internet users, the criminals that operate the schemes become increasingly more sophisticated.

What types of scams exist online?

Computer viruses

One of the most well-known of all cyber threats is computer viruses. You might have heard other terms that fall under the computer virus category, such as malware, spyware, ransomware and trojan horses. The way these threats operate is by moving from one computer to another, infecting each one. Criminals use the virus to access your device and take control of it. It can do anything from scan the system for your personal information, slow down your computer or send out spam emails from your computer without your authorization.

How do you end up with one of these viruses? There are a number of ways. A common method is by opening an attachment that was sent with an email. This can allow the virus to be installed on your computer without you realising it. Another way scammers can load a virus onto your device is through a call from a fake business claiming to be a software or internet service provider for example. They will tell you there is a problem with your computer and they need access to it. This is not true, and genuine IT businesses will never reach out to their customers this way.

Phishing scams

Scammers will use phishing to obtain sensitive information including passwords, login information and more. This will often occur through an email or text message containing a link. Scammers will make it look like the email or text message is from a genuine company that you know or trust. They will ask you to click on a link that takes you to a website that looks like the company you think you are dealing with, however, this is a replica website that will ask you to input details such as your bank account information, a login to that company’s website or similar. Often, the contents of the email or text message will make reference to fake unsuccessful login attempts, problems with your account, payment required, free coupons or eligibility for refunds.

Fake Websites

Fake websites operate similarly to phishing scams by trying to obtain sensitive information to compromise your identity and/or accounts. They are designed to look just like businesses we commonly deal with, such as phone companies, banks, government agencies such as the HMRC and more. They may often appear when you are attempting to apply for visas, booking holidays or renewing official documents such as your passport or driver’s license.

Relationship scams

As more people turn to the online world to find a partner, scammers are increasingly becoming aware of the ways in which they can take advantage of people. They will often start by connecting with you on a social media platform or dating website, first striking up a conversation, getting to know more about you. Once they have gained your trust, they will spin a story about hardship or emotional circumstance in their life and request you to send them money. These scams can be harder to identify because they are using trust as the primary way to achieve their criminal objectives.

Top tips for staying safe online for older adults

So, now that we have covered the main types of online scams and cyber crime that is taking place, how do you keep yourself safe while spending time online? While the younger generations have spent a lot of their time online, older people have been slower to adopt technology. However, as the popularity of online access among the over 65’s continues to grow, it’s important to be able to identify threats and how to avoid them.

1. Strong Passwords

One of the easiest ways to stay safe online is to ensure you always maintain strong passwords. These should usually contain a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. You should avoid names or dates related to your or your family, anything that is related to your username, or simple passwords such as ‘Password123’ or ‘123456789’. These can all be easily compromised and guessed by both hackers and ‘bots’ which are computer robots that can be programmed to complete certain tasks, such as guessing your password for example.

2. Email security

You may receive emails from people or companies you don’t know, some might look legitimate, whereas others will blatantly look suspicious. We’ve already covered phishing scams, and those are one of the main issues with email-related scams. To stay safe and ensure your emails remain secure, follow these tips.

Ensure your password is different from other accounts online, in case your password is ever compromised on another website.
Delete any suspicious emails and do not click links from people or companies you do not know.
Suspicious emails will often contain different contact details, spelling errors or a slightly different looking logo than what is listed for the genuine business it may be trying to disguise as – look out for these issues.

3. Keep your devices locked

Whether with passwords or passcodes, you should protect access to your devices. Phones, tablets and computers all have the ability to limit access with either 4 or 6 digit passcodes or an alphanumeric password. This can keep your information safe if your device is lost or stolen.

4. Be aware of stranger danger

Don’t trust people you don’t know. In the same way, we are taught to be wary of strangers in the real world, the same way of thinking applies online. If you receive correspondence from someone you don’t know or if you develop a friendship or relationship with someone online, be very careful about what information you share with them and be vigilant that someone might not be who they say they are. If you are unsure, talk to someone you trust, a family member or friend who can review the situation for your objectively.

5. Be aware of fake websites

If you do receive an email that asks you to enter information about yourself, login details or bank account information, be diligent. Either call your provider on their number directly – do not call the number in the email – or type their website into your browser directly rather than clicking any links provided. Look for mistakes and spelling errors, information that doesn’t seem quite right or anything else that strikes you as unusual. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

6. Careful what you share

We all enjoy sharing information about ourselves and our lives to keep family and friends updated, but we need to be careful where and how we share those details. If we allow the wrong people the ease of accessing sensitive information about us, it can compromise our security elsewhere online. How can you stay safe and still share on social media? Follow these tips:

Make use of the privacy settings available, so anyone that you haven’t accepted can’t see your information.
Don’t share personal details that can leave you vulnerable, including; passwords, addresses, phone numbers and more.
Be mindful of what you share about others to protect their privacy too. Only share information in a way you would be happy with if it was your own.
Once it’s online, it’s there forever. Just because we can delete a post doesn’t mean it completely disappears, be careful what and where you share your information.

Staying safe online keeps you and your loved ones protected from the threat of cyber crime. Following these tips will keep your time spent online enjoyable and safe. If you’d like to learn more about Mobility Plus’s services, take a look at our range of walk-in baths for elderly, walk-in showers and wet rooms available to suit every shape, size and budget.

How to prevent falls in your bathroom

by mobilityplus | 27th Nov, 2020 | Safety

Your home should be a place where you feel safe and comfortable. As we age our homes can become a source of anxiety for some. Slip and fall hazards increase as our reflexes and movement gradually become more restricted with ageing and we may need to give our homes an update to ensure they help us to remain safe.

One of the most common places where updates can be made to the home for improved safety is your bathroom. Falls are a common health issue faced by older groups within the community, particularly those over 65. In the UK, around one-third of those 65 and over, and half of those aged 80 or over fall at least once a year. In 2017-2018, the NHS reported there more were than 220,000 fall-related incidents in the over 65 age group annually.

Falls or slips around the home can not only have a physical impact on the patient, often causing fractures, bruising and pain, but they can also contribute to mental health-related issues such as reduced confidence around the home and fear. While mobility can affect how well people can manoeuvre themselves around their home, there are some key changes that can be made to your home to make it a more secure place and help you keep your independence.

From renovations in your bathroom to easy installations or budget-friendly items to reduce slip hazards, we’ve collated the top ways that you can make improvements to help prevent falls in your bathroom.

Making structural changes to your home can be a big investment, however, these changes may offer you greater flexibility to make adjustments around the home to reduce the risks of falls in the future. Some of the most common structural changes come in the form of changing your bath or shower to a more accessible style to make getting in and out easier.

Walk-in bath

Sometimes, making a big change can be the best way to prevent falls in your bathroom. Admittedly, some of these changes can come with a larger price tag that simpler adjustments to your home, but will provide long term advantages. If you are looking to retain more independence around the home, installing a walk-in bath can be a great way to achieve that.

Designed to remove the need to step over the side of the bath, walk-in baths greatly reduce the risk of bathroom falls for those with mobility issues or disabilities. With an access point cut into the side of the bath, you can easily step directly into the tub. Complete with a side door for easy access, walk-in baths also come with a number of other key safety features including; non-slip surfaces, support bars, low entry doors and easy temperature control.

Walk-in shower

Like walk-in baths, walk-in showers are a great item to install in your bathroom to increase accessibility and help you maintain your independence. In the UK, many homes are fitted with shower-over-bath designed models, which means you need to step over the edge of the tub to have a shower. By installing a walk-in shower you minimise the risk of slipping while trying to hoist your legs over the edge by simply stepping straight into the shower.

Walk-in showers are available both with doors or without for easy wheelchair access too. Walk-in showers also come with a range of safety features included as standard such as non-slip flooring, ultra-low threshold and an easy to clean enclosure.

However, ensuring your bathroom is fitted out with safety features which help remove the risk of falls, you don’t always need to make large structural changes or invest huge sums of money to make sure your bathroom is equipped. Sometimes, smaller enhancements can go a long way to reducing the slip risks and help to prevent falls in your bathroom.

Aside from the structural-related slip and trip hazards created by the bath and shower which we’ve addressed above, a lot of falls can be linked to slippery surfaces in bathrooms, made even more slippery when wet. This is where a number of smaller, budget-friendly items can be of great assistance to alleviate the fear of slipping.

Tread or shower mats

Tiles can be slippery at the best of times and this can be made worse when they’re wet. Having tread mats or a shower mat both inside the floor of your shower and outside will create a surface that enables you to remain steady on your feet and won’t slip on wet flooring. With holes included for water draining, the mats suction to the floor and ensure you or the mat don’t slip or slide when the base of your shower, bath or the surrounding area is wet. You can also have slip-resistant flooring installed in the bathroom to make it even safer.

Shower chairs

If you find yourself a little unsteady on your feet, having something to give you a bit of extra support can be reassuring and ensure you remain stable. Shower chairs give you the option of added support in the shower by giving you a place to be seated, rather than standing in your shower. We recommend fxixed chairs over free-standing designs for additional safety.

These are most suitable for walk-in showers as the curved edges of a bath won’t provide a sturdy and level surface that the chair requires. Shower chairs are designed with holes to allow the water to drain and rubber ends on the legs to ensure the chair doesn’t slip.

There are chairs available for use in the bathtub, specially designed to suit the curved sides, and transfer benches are great for those who use a wheelchair. They can often be padded too for additional comfort.

Handheld showerheads

If you’re using a chair in the shower, a handheld showerhead will increase your flexibility. Moving with you, rather than spraying from a fixed point, they offer the option to use it in a fixed position on the wall in a mount or handheld while sitting. This means you can avoid getting anything you need to keep dry such as your hair or wounds away from water while enjoying the flexibility of being able to control the water direction.

Grab rails

Grab rails are a fantastic addition to your bathroom to help you remain steady on your feet. While grab bars can be used throughout the home, there are textured models available for extra grip when used in the bathroom where they may get wet. Grab rails work by providing additional support for those with mobility or balance issues. They also give users more confidence as they know there is support close by if it is needed.

Grab rails aren’t only for application on walls and showers, they can also be used with bathtubs. Adjustable grab rails clamp onto the side of the bath and the height can be adjusted to suit the user.

Grab rails can also be taken one step further with toilet surrounds. Rather than a single wall-mounted rail, you can have a frame that surrounds the entire toilet and provides sturdy support to help people as they sit and stand.

Raised toilet seats

Some models of toilets are lower than others, this can make it difficult for those with mobility issues to bend when sitting and standing when using the toilet. Raised toilet seats help to add height by sitting on top of the regular seat.

Why are falls so common in the bathroom?

As we learnt earlier, people in the over 65 age range are most likely to have a fall at home, with around 30% having one fall a year. This can be linked to issues with mobility or disability, blood pressure and dizziness, slower reaction times and sight issues.

Bathrooms are particularly common places for falls among the elderly as they are filled with slippery surfaces, a range of obstacles to navigate such as even surfaces and multi-levelled access points and require a certain level of mobility to easily navigate. This makes all the above mentioned issues related to mobility and common symptoms of ageing a bigger contributor of ill-ease in the bathroom.

By making changes to your bathroom, whether they are as big as replacing your current shower or bath for a walk-in model, or as small as installing grab rails and non-slip shower mats to make your bathroom a safer, more secure place, you can make preventing falls in your bathroom easier.

The most important way to approach making your bathroom more fall-proof is by choosing options that work best for you. Consider whether you need just a little extra support and so simple changes will be enough or if you would benefit from investing in bigger changes that may work better for you in the long term. However you choose to adapt your bathroom to make it a more comfortable place to be, Mobility Plus can assist you. As providers of a range of walk-in bath and shower options to make your bathroom more accessible, we can offer a consultative approach to give you the support you need to help you stay independent at home.