Everyone in this world deserves to feel secure. More and more seniors are now taking advantage of protecting themselves by taking self-defense classes. Feeling weak and helpless can be one of the worst feelings anyone can experience in their lifetime, this is especially recognized for many seniors aging in place living an active lifestyle. As we age, our bodies tend to get slower and weaker, which can make us vulnerable to attacks by criminals or even bullies. Fortunately, there are a variety of great tactics that we can learn in order to protect ourselves as we get older.
The unfortunate fact is that some people do prey on seniors in Canada. This can be through cyberattacks, physical attacks or even mental abuse. This article is intended to empower seniors knowing that there are programs that can help sharpen the mind and body, reduce the feeling of being vulnerable and improve confidence in yourself as well as increase confidence to living Independently.
Learning about the steps you can take to avoid becoming a target, and discovering the basic techniques for defending yourself will benefit your health and well-being. Confidence is one of the most effective deterrents anyone can have to help reduce being a target or victim from attackers. Age and physical limitations do not have to prevent you from learning how to protect yourself. The first step for anyone is to pursue a comfortable way to study basic self-defense techniques. Self-defense can be achieved through martial arts on a variety of programs offered here in Canada specifically designed for seniors.
The greatest confidence booster for any senior is knowing that you’re capable of defending yourself, feeling and looking confident will show the world that you are not weak or vulnerable, and that can potentially deter anyone from targeting you as well as keep you from having to defend yourself at all.
Awareness Is The Key To Help Avoid Being Unprepared
How to stay aware of your surroundings and focus on your safety is the most important way anyone can learn to recognize how to be prepared. Knowing where potential attackers could be lurking and where you could go to escape can save you from being a victim or severely harmed. This can all be achieved by training in the arts of self-defense, learning how to prepare for the unexpected and how to quickly disable an assailant if necessary.
With practice, anyone can develop the reactions that are required to protect yourself in an emergency. Self-defense training for seniors also brings so many physical benefits including, improving your balance, stamina, strength, coordination and flexibility. Let’s hope you never have to use any of the techniques you learn, but the exercise you would get through self-defense training can have a positive impact on your overall health.
Practice How To Avoid Being A Target
The best way to defend yourself is through proper prevention, and this should always be your primary objective. Let’s face it, the best way to stay safe is to avoid getting into unsafe situations in the first place. Here are some great tips on how to do just that.
Top 5 Ways To Help Avoid Being A Target:
- Knowing your surroundings: Being alert and aware of the area around you can help you quickly spot or avoid potential threats. Short eye contact with each passer-by can increase your awareness.
- Bright and populated areas in the evenings: It is highly recommended to keep a mini flashlight and/or whistle on your belt buckle or keyring. Darkness is not your friend and gives the advantage to your potential attacker.
- Plan ahead and be prepared: Avoid walking and talking on your phone, this can draw attention to yourself and let you bring your guard down unknowingly. Same applies to looking at maps whether on your phone or paper maps while walking.
- Reduce the attention to yourself: Always keep your valuables out of sight, this includes flashy jewelry and clothes. Keep your purse or wallet concealed and avoid taking it out while walking by keeping it secured.
- Give your best foot forward: Your posture is important, do your best to stand straight, chin up and shoulders back (avoid being hunched back if possible). Your posture can give off signs of strength or weakness, do your best to take every step with confidence and to the best of your ability.
Senior Protection is proud to be a black belt in personal emergency response services for seniors in Canada. For over 19 years Senior Protection has been arming seniors across Canada with life safety alert devices, including the following provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.
Senior Protection is a division of Alarm Guard Security in Canada that arms seniors with a level of protection for when they need it most. Just imagine having access to help 24/7 with live voice connection, GPS location and fall detection hands-free callout. All this and more covers you everywhere you go inside and outside the home that carries a cell reception.
Written by: Glen Campbell- Director of Senior Protection & Black belt in Personal Safety.
For more information on Senior Protection and our services, please go to https://seniorproteciton.ca or call 1 866 416 0838