Monday Musings: How To Increase Situational Awareness As You Age
Today’s musings are less all over the map than usual. It’s focused on the importance of situational awareness as you age because I had a wake-up call last week.
Many women who have to wear glasses have a wardrobe of styles to choose from. I hate wearing glasses, and I’m very particular about which shape I’ll wear, so I only have three pairs. A frameless pair I wear at home and two others that I alternate between. The frames are both pretty old, and I’ve been just updating the RX as needed.
I’m now in the market for new glasses because I wasn’t paying attention and these ones got stolen last week.
Situational Awareness
I like to think I’m situationally aware, but last week, I dropped the ball and left a favorite tote bag in the car.
My daughter and I went for a long walk on the beach last week on a particularly blustery day. I was carrying my convertible travel bag as a crossbody which held my credit cards, money, lipstick, hand sanitizer, mints, Tylenol, and phone. It holds a ton of stuff but not my eyeglass case, so I left my regular glasses back in the car, along with some sunscreen and sneakers. I doubt anyone would break into a locked car for RX glasses, but they will if they’re zipped into a tidy-looking tote bag with a scarf snazzily tied around the handle.
I know better than to do that. I could have hidden the bag in the back under something, but I left it on the floor of the front seat, and some creep helped himself to them. We were parked along the road, in a long line of parked cars, up against some woods. My safety antenna must have been down because it was the perfect opportunity for someone to break in without being seen.
I like to think I’m on top of my game when it comes to protecting myself. I’m situationally aware enough only to wear one earbud when walking outside. I always look through the peephole before answering the door. I’ll even use our ring system speaker to speak to someone if I don’t want to open the door. I’ve even begun to pull into the garage and close the overhead door before unlocking my car and going into the house. I carry a personal alarm on my keychain and a small can of mace when walking the trails near my house.
And yet…I was lulled by the gorgeous sunny day, the sounds of gulls overhead, and kids splashing in the ocean. The idyllic location distracted me from the need to be aware of my surroundings and cautious enough to hide my stuff. It’s that simple.
It turns out that older adults have lower situational awareness than younger and middle-aged adults. Stress, fatigue, distractions, and cognitive function all play a role, as well as simply paying attention.
Here are some ways to increase your situational awareness as you age:
- Be observant and pay attention to your surroundings
- Maintain a high level of observation
- Stay informed about current events
- Trust your instincts
- Plan ahead and anticipate risks
- Practice mindfulness
- Stay mentally and physically active
- Continuously assess and reassess
- Limit distractions
- Take self-defense classes
- Plan ahead
- Let friends and loved ones know where you’re going
What can you add to this list that we should all be doing to increase our situational awareness as we age? Please share your wisdom.
My daughter had a bag stolen out of her car when she was in her early 20’s. She found it a few miles down the road. Funny story, but the bag was where she tucked plastic bags of dog poop, after walking her dog. She had walked him, then went onto her job, where he could be with her. (pet day care center) We can only think the bag began to stink their vehicle up.
I called on various retail accounts for years, and found you need to be as aware inside the store, or a mall, as you do while going across the parking lot.
I had always been told to make eye contact and maybe even comment on something about the person that is making you feel uncomfortable.
I put that to practice, in more recent years, when a friend and I were walking one evening in a very nice area. I realized we had two young men behind us, and where they came from, I could not tell you! They were keeping pace with us, and it had been going on for longer than I cared for.
I turned around, made eye contact with each and then commented on the one guys shoes. As soon as I did that, they went across the street and headed back the direction we had come from. She was relieved and said she was thinking they could be trouble, but did not know how to say something to me w/o them overhearing. I do believe as soon as they realized I was observing them, right down to the color of their shoes.
I am a firm believer in “go with your gut”. I would rather avoid a situation that could have been fine, than to go into something I felt was not fine and then realize my “gut feeling” was correct.
I got goose bumps reading your comment,Linda. That was very wise of you. Thank you for sharing.
I started talking to a woman about 80 years old in a Walmart parking lot recently. She told me she unlocked her car threw her purse in driver seat and shut the door. She preceded to put her groceries in back of her Honda suv. When she finished she noticed the car parked in front of her had two occupants, they were watching her and laughing. She felt unsettled, then they backed out and drove off. She could not find her purse, they had stolen it.
Oh no!
Jennifer so sorry this happened. That is an awful feeling! After almost 20 years of medical sales I became very savvy about parking garages and would avoid them if possible. Even if there appears to be no one in cars next to me there could be. Also the dividers between the levels make perfect hiding places. What I learned is I could easily be watched from many different angles. Then to have to get on an elevator in the parking garage – the worst. I would do my best to find a busier level at least with a few people on it. Never got on an elevator in the garage alone. I did a lot of driving around to protect myself but it became a habit. I had to train myself on these habits as it was so easy to get caught up in my work and bein a hurry.
Thank you for shring this, Julie. It’s something women don’t often consider.
Car breakins especially at parking lots of touristy places are very very common , even in driveways where cars are parked too ., My kids in bay area have had cars broken into at residence just for their sunglasses ..and once a laptop 🫤..
do not leave anything of value in your car while you hike or shop or overnight at your home or friends .. (or on your front seat even while driving …) or in the trunk ! and dont put your purse in your trunk with your id and cc etc and then leave car because thieves are watching and also know how to accesss trunks . If they can get in car they can get in trunk ,. We once put our luggage , but not our purses thank god , in our trunk, as we left motel in daylight …and drove an hour to newport beach ca where we parked , in beach parking lot , got out , looked at beach and then went across street for breakfast , . Drove home2 hrs , opened trunk and all our luggage was gone . No signs of breakins , but trunk lock never opened well later . Thieves mustve watched us and knew how to unlock trunks ..lesson learned . Keep car in your line of sight if anything is in your trunk or park in secure guarded lots ,while traveling . If you must ,. We may have even been followed from motel who knows ?
Also never leave your purse in grocery cart. While shopping or loading car !
keep it in front of you or on you … even turning around to pick out fruit etc . Friend had wallet stolen out of opentype purse at costco that way! she just turned around a few minutes perusing produce …..another had her whole purse stolen from cart while loading her car.
Pick pockets are quite common in other countries and have even been known to snatch cross body bag by cutting straps ,grabbing and running .use rfid wallets always . Be very aware in-crowds and dont ask stranger to take your pic with your phone and watch them run away with it .
I also lost a watch i put inside my shoes while quickly showering at gym also , i didnt think another woman would steal .duh It happens ..
Wow!! The watch in your shoes stuns me the most!! I’m sorry
I’m very sorry to read about your break-in; it happened to us when we were down the coast in Cambria and left me feeling vulnerable and of course, angry. Also, what a pain it was for us to have to drive back home with a cardboard-covered window! We learned our lesson and never leave anything in sight in our cars. And my new car, a Chevy Bolt, has a lid that hides everything in the trunk when the hatchback is closed. I love that.
When we were just in Vancouver we walked everywhere to and from our rental across from Rogers Arena – mostly during the day, but one early evening, back from dinner in Mt. Pleasant and another, back from dinner in Kitsilano. We stayed on busy streets and nothing happened but also I think that was a matter of luck. Because we are walkers when on vacation, I will invest in a couple of the security tools you’ve featured here as luck does run out.
Thank you for sharing this – what a great idea for a blog post!
I agree, luck plays a roll in whether we get targeted or not, but I believe we can’t be too careful, as well. I want to do everything I can to ensure I am not a victum again.
So Sorry this happened to you, Jennifer. One other thing I would add is keep your home doors, especially your front door locked at all times. I get teased about this, but it’s a safety precaution worth practicing.
Great tip! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve automatically locked my husband out in the back yard:).
Jennifer, I’m SO SORRY about the break-in, damage to your car and the loss of your glasses. This is a timely, important and informative post, for sure. I recently went on a girls’ trip with eleven other women, and I was one of our drivers. At our first pit stop, my riders ALL decided not to take their tote bags into the restroom with them, intending to leave them in plain view inside the car. I insisted on NOTHING LEFT IN VIEW before we left the car. I got a little verbal flack, but everyone complied momentarily. Best to leave nothing to temptation, to travel wisely, and to be safe rather than sorry was my response to their fussiness. But then at every stop, I KEPT having to remind! I did it, but I must admit I was surprised that intelligent, capable, otherwise responsible women could decide to be so naive and careless. But as you warn, there are creeps everywhere. They don’t know what’s inside a bag or a tote, they don’t care, and they WILL break in and take what’s yours. Thank you for the Voice of Experience, but again….I’m sorry you had to go through this!
I’m sure the creeps were dissapointed at what was in my tote because it only had value to me.
Great Post Jennifer. Your readers had so many good ideas to add. Made all kinds of sense. I’d like to add putting a a grab bar up in your shower. Safety at home also.
YES! We have one and it’s great
I am so sorry that this happened to you, but thankful that you have shared this story. I feel like I get “lulled” by a lot of things too, especially in those things that are are part of my regular activities and places to go. Your story is a wakeup call for me because I regularly go to a local nature center to walk, and now I’ll be more careful.
I guess that you really need to keep a sense of having “fresh eyes” doing anything out in the world.
I know my real concern (hangup) is as a pedestrian crossing busy streets – I really feel like I need to know that those cars are stopped and seeing me in a crosswalk, and it can be hard to connect with drivers who aren’t paying attention.
You do! I see people blow right through red lights and stop signs all the time. I’m even extra cautious in my car at them. People are so distracted!
Very sorry this happened! Glad you had money/credit cards with you. Something else I do is when I pump gas, I keep my car door open but lock the car to prevent someone driving by and opening passenger door and grabbing my purse.
I leave my passenger door locked too at the gas station. You ladies have the best ideas!!
One thing I read recently was to make sure you have the darkest (legal) tinting on your car windows. Thieves are drawn to what they can easily see and break a window and quickly grab. The dark tint prevents them from seeing clearly (if at all) and they move on to an easier target. In any case, I always lock the doors and put any valuables in the trunk. There is nothing in my car space to invite any scrutiny.
Great point!
I am so sorry this happened to you. It really does feel like a violation. It happened to me at work many years ago. I came off shift at the hospital in the morning to find my window broken, my sunglasses stolen and my battery was gone! I don’t remember anything else as I never left things in my car. It was just a Ford XBR, two seater, not new but still victimized. Since then I only parked in the camera monitored employee parking area at work. Now retired, no shopping after dark and never leave anything in the car. It is harder with an SUV, no trunk. I would never leave my car unlocked. The alarm will not work and most insurance companies will not pay if you have not taken the precaution of locking up. Car windows are expensive and once a theft gets into your car they can have access to your registration information and garage door opener. That gives them access to your home! In Colorado we have to keep insurance information and car registration in the vehicle.
We have to keep that info in our car too. It’s a real concern.
Jennifer, I’m sorry you and your daughter went through such an invasion.
My brother taught me years ago to pull through parking spaces so that if I needed to get away fast I could just pull forward and go. His company had a speaker that taught safety while on business trips.
Smart one. Thanks, Darlene
I’m sorry this happened to you Jennifer. How distressing
I’m afraid in my little community on the island that I have become complacent. I don’t walk with ear buds or my phone but I do get lost in thought and am often surprised by someone coming up behind. I’ve always been a daydreamer. I sometimes go shopping at night but have my keys in my hand and park as close to the store as I can.
My husband keeps a vigilant eye out when we travel and has probably saved us a few times. I wear a crossbody purse when travelling and am surprised by the amount of women who carry open bags (totes or straw). Pickpockets take only secs to reach in and help themselves. A friend had a backpack when she was touring France and someone took her purse out of without her realizing. Unfortunately, her passport was in there too. I carry a backpack when flying but keep my purse on the bottom under other things.
I always put my purchases in the back of my SUV where the windows are tinted. When I go to the pool, I put my license in my gym bag and leave my purse at home.
I’m sorry this happened to you. It’s maddening, for sure. Thank you for sharing as it’s a good reminder to all your readers to be aware at all times.
Thankful it’s only theft, not violence!!! I’m not minimizing . . . just grateful for you; and I thank you very much for the reminders to help us stay safe! I need one of those keychain devices, also, I need to upgrade my Ring so that I never have to open the door.
Thanks for helping us dress and to stay safe!!!!
Yes, it’s just stuff and I was so lucky. You ladies are all sharing such great ideas, I’m going to compile them in a post for us. I’ve spoken through that ring speaker while out of the country (using my phone) and people don’t even know you’re not home! It’s awesome.
Sorry to hear this happened to you. For someone to break into your car or home gives you a feeling of being violated. It seems it’s worst now, as these thieves are stealing from stores right and left. Thank you for your tips I was aware of some but you gave me more to be aware of. I don’t even feel safe to take a walk where I live unless it’s loops around the apartment parking lot.
I hate that this is happening to us. It shrinks our world so we need to do what we can to stay aware and safe, but still engage and enjoy life.
I, personally, have left my purse in a fitting room, on the floor in a bar and on a picnic table in a public park – twice! The purse and it’s contents were found intact each time. I leave my house unlocked and the keys in the car. Never had a problem. Either I am lucky, or live in a safe community. People have been convinced that the world is a dangerous hell hole.
You have been very lucky. Be safe, Lily.
Excellent points Jennifer and so sorry to learn you were a victim of theft and damage. Regarding the subject of purses/totes; even when driving keep all your doors locked to prevent your purse laying on the seat, be stolen when at a stop. Also shall add, ensure your handbag is primarily within your reach and/or in clear sight. i.e.: Washroom cubicle, shopping cart, a public table, fueling your car etc. As to the list given; number four (trust your instincts) is something I’ve always preached to my children as so often is dismissed which my daughter in particular admits, has proven beneficial in her 25 years of policing (regardless she carries a gun). -Brenda-
Trusting our instinct is so important. Thanks, Brenda.
An excellent paperback book that was written years ago is “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker. I reread this from time to time to remind me of all the things De Becker emphasizes. He stresses situational awareness and many of the things you mentioned. Prior to reading your post I had decided to order a copy for a number of friends.
Thanks for the reminders for us all.
MHK
I have a copy on order.