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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2019)
8A • COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • MARCH 20, 2019 Boomer & Senior News Line By Matilda Charles No Dog for Me? Home security tips for seniors Seniors are often targeted by criminals. Though many criminals target seniors from afar via telephone or internet scams, crim- inals seek to enter seniors’ homes. The Bu- reau of Justice Statistics offers that, between 2003 and 2013, the ratio of property crime to violent crime was higher for the elderly and persons between the ages of 50 and 64 than it was for younger persons between the ages of 25 and 49. Home security is important for people of all ages, but especially so for seniors and aging individuals living alone. By following certain safety tips and developing a home security plan, seniors can feel safer at home. • Lock windows and doors. It may seem like common sense, but failure to repeated- ly lock windows and doors can, and often does, give burglars easy entry into the home. • Think about a smart doorbell. Technolo- gy now enables doorbells to provide a video feed to a person’s smartphone or tablet over WiFi. This allows residents to see who is at the door and speak to this person without having to open the door. Some products like Ring® will even register motion activity and record short videos from outside of the house. • Don’t share or leave keys. Avoid leaving keys under a mat or in a flower pot. Others may be watching your actions and gain ac- cess to your home while you are away. • Ask for ID. When service people or other in- dividuals come to the door, verify their cre- dentials by asking to see some identification. • Get a home security system. The best protection against burglars is a home securi- ty alarm, states HomeSecurityResource.org. Such an alarm often deters burglars from breaking in. • Install a lockable mailbox. Locked mail- boxes restrict access to sensitive informa- tion, such as bank account numbers, sent in the mail. Make sure retirement checks or other payments are deposited directly into bank accounts instead of having them sent by check. • Use home automation. Home auto- mation, or a “smart home,” can be utilized to turn on lights, set the thermostat, lock doors, and much more. • Adopt a dog. Dogs can be an asset to se- niors. Dogs provide companionship and can bark or alert seniors if someone is around or inside of the home. Home security is serious business for se- niors who are vulnerable to criminals. Three years ago I started thinking about getting a dog. Seeing neighbors out with their small dogs, I knew I wanted what I consider a real dog, a big one, not a dog that would fit in my purse. I made a pro-con dog ownership list, but over time the list of reasons for not getting a dog has gotten longer and longer. Maybe my story will help if you’re considering adopting a dog. Where I live there are a lot of rules, and one of them concerns the size of dogs. Specifically, the dog cannot top 25 pounds. The neighborhood rumor mill supplied this story: A woman was told to get rid of her dog after management showed up at her door with a set of scales and demanded to weigh the pooch, which unfortunately came in at nearly 30 pounds. The owner moved out and took the dog with her. A size limit means I can’t adopt a young mixed-breed shelter mutt because there’s no real way to know how large the dog will be when it grows. According to a study, shelter staff correctly guesses a dog’s breed only 67 percent of the time. There are no sidewalks here. What we have for half the year are increasingly narrow roads with snow banks on the sides. I don’t have a fenced yard either, which means no place to let a big dog romp and play. By the time I got this far, I knew it was hopeless. I never even got to the part about potential veterinary costs, or the price of quality dog food and grooming, flea treatments and toys. I’ve found a partial solution, however. I’m thinking of sign- ing up as a dog walker volun- teer at the shelter. Maybe I’ll fall in love with a tiny, purse-size dog. TURNING 65 AND NEED HELP WITH YOUR MEDICARE CHOICES? Call Paul to help simplify the complicated. Things people should know about creating wills 541-517-7362 Drafting a last will and testament is an • Funeral instructions: Settling probate against the decedent’s wishes. To avoid this essential component of estate planning. De- will not happen until after the funeral. outcome, a will and other estate planning spite the importance of having a will, a re- Therefore, funeral wishes in a will often go documents are crucial. coverage4oregon@gmail.com cent survey from AARP found that two out unnoticed, states the legal advisement re- of five Americans over the age of 45 do not source Find Law. have one. • Executor: An executor is a trusted per- Putting wishes down on paper helps avoid son who will carry out the terms of the will. unnecessary work and sometimes heartache This person should be willing to serve and upon the death of a loved one. Wills allow be capable of executing the will. heirs to act with the decedent’s wishes in People who die without a valid will be- mind, and can ensure that assets and pos- come intestate. This means the estate will sessions will end up in the right hands. be settled based on the laws of where that Estate planning can be tricky, which is person lived, and a court-appointed admin- why many people turn to attorneys to get istrator will serve in the capacity to transfer the job done right. Attorneys who special- property. This administrator will be bound ize in estate planning will no doubt discuss by laws and may make decisions that go the following topics with their clients. • Assets owned: Make a list of known assets and figure out which assets are covered by the We provide prompt and reliable, public will and which will have to be transportation. Our experienced, courteous drivers passed on according to other es- tate laws, such as through joint will take you to appointments on time. tenancy on a deed or a living trust. For example, life insurance Valid for One-Year policies or retirement plan pro- New & Renewal ceeds will be distributed to your named beneficiaries. A will also Subscriptions! can cover other assets, such as photographs, clothing, cars, and jewelry. • Guardianship: Parents’ wills should include a declaration of who they want to become guard- I am a senior, and would like to subscribe to the Cottage Grove Sentinel ians their underage children or at a 25% discount rate. dependents. • Pets: Some people prefer Medical Offi ces • Pharmacies This request is for a NEW / Renewal Subscription (Circle One) to use their will to also dictate ✓Serving the Communities of South Lane County guardianship for their pets and South Lane Wheels to leave money or property to 1450 Birch Ave, Cottage Grove help care for those pets. How- Name: southlanetransit.com ever, pets do not have the legal capacity to own property, so one Mailing Address: shouldn’t gift money directly to Disclaimer: All vehicles are operated in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. South Lane Wheels complies with pets in a will. 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Th is off er is not transferable and the off er is available those who have not subscribed in the last 31 days. Special introductory off ers are limited to no more than two special subscriptions in a twelve month period and must be paid in advance to qualify for special rate. Once the above discounted period ends, you will be billed at the regular subscription rates. 1 Yr. In Lane County w/Senior Discount: $32.63 1 Yr. Out of Lane County w/Senior Discount: $42.38 PAYMENT METHOD: Credit Card (Please Circle One) Check Enclosed Mail this coupon and payment to: Credit Card # Cottage Grove Sentinel Name on Card: P.O. Box 35 Cottage Grove, OR 97424 (541) 942-3325 Mailing Address: Signature: Exp. Date
