My Parents Live Alone—Here’s How I Helped Them Feel Safe Again
When I moved out of state for work, I didn’t expect to spend so much time worrying. But I did—especially about my parents.
They live alone, in the same home I grew up in. It’s a cozy place in a quiet neighborhood, but as they got older, I started noticing things: doors left unlocked, packages sitting out too long, a porch light that hadn’t worked in months. Little things that made me wonder—what if something happened and no one was there to help?
The Conversation That Changed Everything
One evening, I called home and my mom mentioned someone had knocked on the door late at night. She didn’t answer. Dad was asleep. They just waited until the person left.
That didn’t sit right with me.
I realized we needed a real solution—not just for security, but for peace of mind. That’s when I started looking into smart home security systems, and ADT kept coming up.
I Didn’t Want to Make Things Harder for Them
When I first started researching security systems, I’ll be honest—I hesitated.
The last thing I wanted was to install some high-tech setup that would confuse my parents or make them anxious. What if they set off a false alarm? Would that cost money? Would they even feel comfortable using it? I worried that I might actually add stress instead of removing it.
But then I talked to ADT.
They walked me through the options, and even offered a demo of how everything works. And I’ve got to say—it was way simpler than I expected.
The interface was clean, the app was intuitive, and everything felt designed with real people in mind—not just tech-savvy 20-somethings. Even better, when the technician came to install the system, he didn’t just talk to me—he talked with my parents. He explained things patiently, checked that they understood it all, and made sure they felt in control.
And they did. They really did.
The Unexpected Bonus
Here’s something I didn’t see coming: a little spark of pride.
My mom loves checking the doorbell cam, and my dad likes locking up with his phone at night. There’s a real sense of ownership and capability there. Not because the system is dumbed down—but because it’s smartly built for anyone to use.
It’s easy to underestimate how empowering that can be—especially for people who aren’t always treated like tech is “for them.” ADT got it right. And my parents feel safer and more confident because of it.
What We Installed (and Why It Helped)
With Homesense101’s help, we set up an ADT package that included:
- A video doorbell so they could see who’s outside without opening the door
- Door and window sensors to alert them (and me) if anything’s out of place
- Indoor motion detectors, just in case
- And professional monitoring, so someone’s always on call
What surprised me most? How much they loved it. My mom checks the front camera just to see if her plants are getting enough sun. My dad uses the app to lock the doors from bed.
They felt more in control—and I felt a hundred times better knowing they weren’t alone if something went wrong.
What I Learned
Helping them set this up taught me something big: security isn’t just about stopping crime. It’s about feeling safe. It’s about aging in place with confidence. It’s about knowing your loved ones have support, even when you can’t be there in person.
ADT gave us that. And Homesense101 made the process easy.
If you have parents or relatives living alone, don’t wait for a scare to start the conversation. There’s real comfort in knowing help is just a button away.
