Your safety
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 4, 20 June 2025, page no 30.
Watching the news in the past few weeks, I’ve been annoyed at how many items concern the stealing of cars, property and injury to innocent people who were looking after themselves and their property.
You may have heard the story of a lady who had the contents of her house stolen by thieves while she was living with sick relatives. Yes, the whole house and pets. You might ask why the neighbours did not become suspicious, but they were given a very plausible reason for the removal. This suggests that we need to be in regular contact with neighbours and also to notify police if our house is going to be empty for any period of time.
Also annoying are the door-to-door salespeople who try to sell us anything from solar panels, electricity accounts, and even paintings. Seniors, like everyone else, have the right to feel safe in their homes and not be preyed upon by unscrupulous people. Research has shown that those who appear confident and take precautions are less likely to become the victims of crime. A search of the internet gives the following links to good suggestions for keeping ourselves and our property safe.
http://www.police.qld.gov.au/services/personal/seniors: This site lists suggestions for at home, shopping, phones, and personal alarms.
www.emergency.qld.gov.au: This links to numerous publications available to download or to have sent to your home.
The Department of Communities makes similar suggestions, with the added idea of contacting the Council on the Ageing to organise a time for a safety officer to conduct a review of your residence.
The internet is another concern for trusting seniors. Many of us have learned over the years to use computers for all of our daily activities, including banking and online shopping. This means that at all times we must keep a vigilant lookout for hackers and those who would steal our identity. How many of us have had the phone call telling us that our computer is faulty and Microsoft needs to repair it? Similarly, the emails alerting us to problems with bank accounts, sales sites, and even the My Government account, telling us what will happen if we do not follow the suggestions. At all times we need to keep our wits about us and, just like children, if we are not sure, ask the relevant authorities.
On a happier note, the Birthday Lunch at Yeronga was a great time to catch up with past colleagues. The next will be a great learning experience for those who don’t visit the city on a regular basis — a guided tour of the new Queen’s Wharf complex. Watch for the details in the newsletter. Hope to see you on this great activity.
Stay safe.