The short answer: make it harder for someone to enter, easier for neighbors or cameras to notice, and make a simple plan for what you will do if you hear someone inside. SafeStreets reports an estimated 1,117,696 burglaries in 2019; the number is a reminder that a few practical changes can make safety at home feel more manageable.
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What should you do if you think someone is inside?
If you think someone is in your house, do not go looking for them. If you can leave safely, get out and call 911. If leaving would put you closer to the person, stay quiet in a room with a locking door, lock or brace the door if you can, and call 911.
Tell the dispatcher your address, where you are in the home, and whether anyone else is there. Do not confront the person or try to protect belongings. After police say it is safe, photograph damage and make a list of missing items for the police report and your insurer. These steps follow the emergency guidance in SafeStreets home safety guidance.
What is the biggest deterrent for burglars?
There is no single step that protects every home. The most useful approach is to remove easy entry and reduce hiding places: lock doors and windows, strengthen weak points, keep the outside visible, and consider alarms, doorbells, cameras, or sensors that fit your home.
For an older adult, the plan should also be simple enough to use when you are tired, worried, or confused. Put emergency contacts near the phone. Keep keys, a charged phone, glasses, and mobility aids where you can reach them without increasing the risk of falls.
| Home area | Check today | Simple next step |
|---|---|---|
| Front and back doors | Do they lock fully? | Use a deadbolt and a sturdy strike plate if needed. |
| Sliding doors | Can the door slide when locked? | Use a sturdy rod or dowel in the track. |
| Windows | Do accessible windows lock? | Check each lock and consider stronger window protection. |
| Outside | Are doors hidden by shrubs or darkness? | Trim cover and add motion-activated lighting. |
| Garage | Is the garage door closed and secured? | Include it in your nightly lock check. |
Doors, windows, lighting, and a security system are all practical layers described in the home security checklist.
Which homes are easier targets?
A home is easier to enter when a door or window is left unsecured, when someone can work out of sight, or when a garage or sliding door is overlooked. Check these spots before bed and before leaving. A visible light, a locked entry, and a home that looks attended can each reduce an easy opportunity.
Do not make safety a one-person burden. The National Library of Medicine’s long-distance caregiving guidance recommends building a local network of family, friends, neighbors, and caregivers who can help in emergencies. Choose one nearby person who can receive a call if you need help.
A five-minute break-in safety routine
- Lock exterior doors and accessible windows.
- Check the sliding-door rod or dowel.
- Turn on exterior or motion lighting.
- Put your phone where you can reach it from bed.
- Write down one neighbor, family member, and emergency contact.
- Make sure pathways to the phone, door, and bathroom are clear of cords, rugs, and clutter that could cause falls.
This routine works well beside the practical steps in Home Safety Checklist. If you are supporting someone from another home, add the routine to a shared calendar or a short check-in call.
Can a camera or alert help when someone is alone?
It may help to use an alert, video doorbell, camera, or sensor if it gives you a clear way to check a sound without walking toward it. A 2025 randomized trial indexed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine found that caregivers using an active in-home monitoring system reported improving sleep efficiency while control groups reported worsening sleep efficiency. The study looked at caregivers of people with dementia, so it does not answer every home-security question, but it shows why a simple monitoring plan may support peace of mind for caregivers.
Choose tools you can operate comfortably. Test the alert volume, phone notifications, and emergency contacts with a family member. For more ways to organize support around daily needs, see Natural Supports for Seniors.
What about the time, month, or state with the most break-ins?
Those patterns can change by community. For a useful answer for your own home, call your local police department’s nonemergency number and ask whether it offers neighborhood crime information or home-safety visits. Use that information to decide where to focus your checklist first.
Before you make a bigger change
- Ask whether a lock, camera, alarm, or lighting system can be used without creating trip hazards.
- Ask who receives an alert and what they should do if you do not answer.
- Keep a written list of emergency contacts, medicines, and important numbers where a trusted person can find it.
- If new confusion, repeated falls, or trouble managing pills is making it hard to follow a safety plan, contact a health care provider soon.
By MercyAssistedCare.org Editorial Team