Arming the Elderly: A Self-Defense Guide for Senior Citizens
American seniors – those aged 65 and over – are growing in numbers. And thanks to medical and technological advances, our seniors are living longer than any previous U.S. generation. While these people have lived their lives and should be given the respect that age earns, too often they’re taken advantage of and made into victims of crime.
When it comes to purse snatching and larceny, seniors are disproportionately victimized compared to other age groups, with at least one in five personal crimes against seniors involving some sort of theft. As if that’s not enough, it’s not just crimes against the person that seniors fall victim to. They’re also more vulnerable to property crimes, especially burglary and vehicle thefts.
With more than 14 percent of seniors having experienced either physical, psychological or sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation within the last year, it’s no wonder more and more people over the age of 65 are looking to up their self-defense and start carrying concealed. This guide highlights the importance of self defense for seniors and the steps they can take to better protect themselves.
Seniors Seem Like Easy Targets
One of the main reasons that seniors are so often victimized is that they seem like easy targets. And oftentimes they are. Many aging individuals have physical and mental limitations and can be seen as slow, frail, and less likely to put up a fight. They don’t have good reaction times, eyesight, or hearing, and most can’t run away if they try.
In addition to many seniors living alone, and a growing number with family that moved away, it’s easy for con artists and scammers to move in and not be noticed. Seniors are also more likely than other cohorts to have a nest egg at home – whether in cash, jewelry, or valuable items – which makes them alluring to criminals and thugs.
Avoid Being a Target
Yes, seniors are old. And yes, they may not move as fast as their younger counterparts. But that doesn’t mean they’re not capable of self-defense. The first thing to learn about self-defense and how to avoid being targeted by criminals is that you have to be aware of your surroundings.
When you pay attention to what’s going on around you, you’re less likely to find yourself in a self-defense situation. If victims had been more aware of their surroundings, the circumstances could have been avoided.
Here are self-defense techniques for seniors that can lessen your risk of being victimized. And remember, it’s always better to avoid trouble than confront it.
- Walk with purpose.
- Keep your eyes up.
- Know where the exits are.
- Watch for suspicious people.
- Avoid places that are known to be unsafe.
- Don’t go places alone.
Don’t Be Overly Trusting
One of the things that makes seniors easy prey for perpetrators is the fact that they are often more trusting than younger folks. While it’s always nice to give people the benefit of believing they’re good, don’t do it with a blind eye. Here are ways to avoid being overly trusting and putting yourself and your property at risk.
- Never open your car or house door to a stranger. If they need to borrow the phone, leave them on the porch.
- If someone starts moving toward you asking for help, tell them right away you can’t help them and keep moving.
- Don’t give out unnecessary personal information. No one needs to know your street address (saying you live in Chicago is close enough). And if they ask whether your children live locally, always say yes – even if they’re halfway around the world.
- Never allow someone to take you to another location. If you’re in an attacker situation, fight to stay where you are. Once you leave, chances are that the danger will increase.
A Few Tips
- If you’re carrying groceries or laundry, use a luggage cart or pull behind. This keeps your hands free and makes you less likely to be attacked.
- Instead of carrying around $1,000 in cash and 10 credit cards in your wallet, only carry what you need. That way if your wallet is stolen, the criminal didn’t get everything.
- Carry a travel wallet instead of your regular wallet. It keeps your valuables hidden and isn’t accessible to pickpockets and other thieves.
- For women who carry purses, consider wearing it on the inside of your jacket instead of the outside. This makes it less visible and harder to reach if someone tried to snatch it.
- Improve your chances of evading criminals by staying active and fit. Seniors who live active lifestyles are faster, stronger, and have quicker reaction times than their peers.
Learn to Protect Yourself
Just because you’re post-retirement doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself – you just have to learn how. When you were younger, you may have been able to hold your own with your fists, but now that you’re older, that’s not going to cut it. Now you’ve got to learn how to fight back when in an attacker situation, using what’s available.
Remember, you have the element of surprise on your side.
Use What You Have
When it comes to self-defense, you need to use whatever is available to protect yourself. If there’s a canvas bag in your hand, swing it at the perpetrator's head. If you’re pushing a cart, get it between you and the attacker. Regardless of what you have, it’s better than nothing and some things can do some pretty massive damage.
- Purse: Even though it’s what many attackers try to grab, a purse can be a heck of a weapon. Get a good swing and crack them in the side of the face. It may not knock them out, but it sure will stun them.
- Cane: If you walk with a cane, you’ve already got a handy weapon. Use it like a staff for defense or offensive moves. Or if it has some girth to it, swing it like a club. Some communities even offer self-defense classes for seniors, specifically for those with canes.
- Keys: Learn to walk with your fist wrapped around your keys with one key sticking out between your knuckles. This gives you a solid, makeshift weapon that can be used as a knife to slice or puncture.
Carry a Few Extras
If you want to up your protection without having to go to lethal extremes, pick up a few extras to carry with you or leave in your car or nightstand. One of these may be enough to stop a perpetrator from pursuit and make him turn around to find someone else.
- Police whistle
- Flashlight
- Mace
- Personal Alarm
If there are no senior-specific self-defense classes in your area, don’t fret. Sign up for a regular self-defense or martial arts class – just look for a course with slower, gentler movements. Classes like AiKido or Wing Chun don’t require as many quick moves or bending to the floor as other practices and therefore tend to be more beneficial to seniors.
Carrying a Concealed Weapon
Only you can decide if carrying concealed is the right thing to do. Some people are okay with carrying a firearm, while others can’t imagine being comfortable holding one – let alone shooting it. Either philosophy is okay, but it’s important to understand that a concealed-carry handgun gives you a level of protection that nothing else can.
If you decide to carry, here are three of the most important things for seniors to consider when carrying a concealed firearm:
- Have the right weapon.
- Be comfortable with it.
- Be willing to do what it takes.
Semi-Automatic Pistols
A few good options include:
Revolvers
A few good options include:
- Ruger SP101 .327 Mag
- Smith & Wesson J-Frame in any caliber
Small Guns
Small-caliber guns like .22s are never recommended for self-defense. But, and this only applies to seniors, if you cannot handle a gun larger than a .22, carrying a small gun is better than no gun at all.
And lastly, to view an extreme method of Senior Citizen self-defense (we don't recommend this for most Seniors) we're including this video of a 61-year-old demonstrating his ability to defend himself.
https://7r6.com/WwODS