Many of you may be living alone in your own home. Your spouse has passed away, and your children have moved—busy with their own lives. But you want to continue living where it is familiar, the mortgage is paid, and it provides a feeling of independence.

While there are advantages to living alone, there are also challenges, particularly regarding your personal safety. For example, if I was living alone who would ask me every morning if I had taken my pills, remind me about my medical appointments, and pester me to change the batteries in the smoke alarms? Most importantly who would remove the clutter so I wouldn’t fall—and if I did fall, who would be there to help?

And then there are the children. How would I ease their concerns about my safety so they will stop trying to convince me to move into assisted living when I’m not ready?

One advantage we have today when living alone is the many devices incorporating new technologies. I know firsthand technology can be a real pain in the … shall I say derriere, difficult to understand and set up. But you might want to consider some of the following devices to stay safe in your home for your benefit and your children’s.

• Fall Detection Devices: They can be worn as necklaces or wristbands and can detect a fall and then automatically alert a monitoring center.
• Medical Alert Systems: These systems allow you to call for help at the push of a button. Some even come with GPS features, allowing responders to locate you quickly.
• Smart Home Devices: Smart plugs, lights, and even stoves can be controlled remotely or set to turn off automatically.
• Video Doorbells: A video doorbell allows you to see and communicate with anyone at your door without having to walk across the house—particularly useful if you have mobility difficulties.
• Smart Locks: Smart locks allow you to lock and unlock your doors using a code or smartphone app. You can also give trusted family members or caregivers access without needing a physical key.
• Automated Medication Dispensers: These devices can help ensure you take the correct medication at the right time.
• Voice-Activated Assistants: Devices like Amazon Echo (Alexa) or Google Home can be used for hands-free calling, setting reminders, and controlling smart home devices such as your lights.
• Wearable Health Monitors: Wearable devices like smartwatches, and now smart rings, can monitor vital signs such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and sleep patterns.
• Home Security Systems with Remote Monitoring: Allows you or your family members to check in on your home from anywhere.

These devices provide many benefits, but there is a cost for each one, so you will need to consider your budget as well as your needs.

Staying safe when living alone is more than high-tech devices, but they can help you live safely in your own home on your own terms.

To learn more about how to stay safe while living alone, here are three websites you might want to visit.

https://seniorsite.org/resource/10-essential-safety-devices-for-seniors-living-alone-in-2025/

https://allseniors.org/articles/how-to-stay-independent-as-a-senior-tips-for-living-alone/

https://seniorsafetyadvice.com/safety-tips-for-seniors-living-alone/

Brain Challenge. Here is a quick brain challenge to exercise your attention and your working memory. Give it a try. It is not as easy as it may seem.

Name two objects for every letter in your first name. Work up to five objects, trying to use different items each time.

The character Ron Howard played in the Andy Griffith Show as a child actor was Opie Taylor. I received correct answers from Sandy Haechrel, Doug Nelson, Mike McFarlane, Dave Lutgens, Lana Tepfer, Shelley Hinatsu, Judy Kiser, Kathy Smith, Rose Schulz, Rhonda Spies, Craig Terry, Jess Birge, and David Liberty—this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

And while playing hooky last week I missed answers from Millie Baumgartner, Afton Fanger, Craig Terry, Linda Frizzell, Kathy Bullack, Lana Tepfer, and Nancy Higgins

I still sing this 1964 novelty song written and sung by Shirley Ellis who based the song on a game she played as a child. For this “Week’s Remember When” question, what was the name of the song where she would make a rhyme out of anybody’s name by following a few simple rules. “Shirley, Shirley bo Birley/Bonana fanna fo Firley/Fee fy mo Mirley/Shirley! (Or if you see me on the street you can yell out “Hey, Scott, Scott, bo bot, Bonana fanna fo Fot, Fee fy mo Mott, Scott”. I dare you!) E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with her recording of “The Clapping Song”.

Well, it’s been another week, searching for that fine line between possible and impossible. Until we meet again, keep whistling a happy tune.

“I’m so old I remember playing solitaire with a deck of cards.” Forwarded to me by Donnamae Grannemann.