Personal Safety & Confidence

For Women Ages 60–99

This course empowers older women to feel safe, confident, and prepared in everyday life. Participants learn practical strategies tailored to the needs of aging adults—including situational awareness, fall-safe self-defense movements, scam prevention, emergency planning, and safe use of technology. The program emphasizes strength, dignity, independence, and realistic, age-appropriate skills.

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Duration

6–8 weeks (flexible)

Format

In-person, online, or hybrid

Focus

Awareness, prevention, confidence

Course Goals

  • Recognize and avoid risky situations
  • Use body-safe physical responses appropriate for varying mobility levels
  • Strengthen personal confidence and assertive communication
  • Protect themselves from identity theft, scams, and online fraud
  • Safely navigate public spaces, transportation, and home environments
  • Build personal and community safety networks
  • Create an individualized personal safety plan

Weekly Breakdown

week 1

Introduction to Personal Safety & Mindset

Topics

  • Understanding safety through empowerment, not fear
  • Age-related strengths (wisdom, intuition, awareness)
  • Dispelling myths about vulnerability
  • How attackers choose targets—and how to avoid appearing isolated
  • The role of confidence and body language

Activities

  • Confidence postures
  • “Awareness walk” practice
  • Personal safety reflection worksheet

week 2

Situational Awareness & Everyday Risk Prevention

Topics

  • Reading people and environments
  • Safe shopping, banking, walking, and public transportation
  • Safety in parking lots, elevators, and ride-share services
  • Setting boundaries with strangers or acquaintances

Activities

  • Safety scenario role-plays
  • Identifying high- and low-risk spaces
  • Creating a safety support list

week 3

Physical Safety Strategies (Mobility-Adapted)

Topics

  • Non-aggressive de-escalation
  • Voice power: using verbal commands
  • Joint protection and safe defensive movements
  • Techniques for participants with walkers, canes, wheelchairs, or limited mobility

Activities

  • Chair-based defensive movement practice
  • How to use assistive devices as protective tools
  • Learning to break away safely

week 4

Home Safety, Safe Living, & Emergency Preparedness

Topics

  • “Layered security” for apartments, homes, and senior housing
  • Door, window, and lighting strategies
  • Safe medication and caregiver boundaries
  • Fire, medical, and natural disaster readiness
  • Safety devices: alarms, medical alert tools, smart locks

Activities

  • Home security checklist
  • Emergency plan template
  • When and how to call 911 effectively

week 5

Fraud, Scams, and Digital Safety

Topics

  • Recognizing common scams targeting older adults
  • Phone scams, impersonation scams, romance scams
  • Safe texting, social media, email, and video calls
  • Password safety and protecting personal data
  • Avoiding financial exploitation

Activities

  • Hands-on “spot the scam” practice
  • Creating a secure digital routine
  • Building a trusted technology helper network

week 6

Medical, Caregiver, and Community Safety

Topics

  • Understanding elder rights and protections
  • Setting boundaries with caregivers, medical staff, family members, neighbors
  • Recognizing signs of elder abuse
  • Resources for reporting abuse safely

Activities

  • Assertive communication scripts
  • Identifying safe vs. unsafe behaviors
  • Case example discussions

week 7

Self-Advocacy, Emotional Security, & Confidence Building

Topics

  • Handling fear and anxiety
  • Trauma-informed support for past experiences
  • Building inner strength and resilience
  • Using community and social supports

Activities

  • Guided grounding techniques
  • Positive affirmation writing
  • Building your “Safety Support Circle”
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week 8

Putting It All Together: Your Personal Safety Plan

Topics

  • Reviewing key lessons
  • Personalizing a home, digital, and mobility safety strategy
  • Maintaining skills as you age
  • How to teach friends and peers

Activities

  • Participants create a customized “My Safety Plan” booklet
  • Group practice of selected safety skills
  • Graduation celebration

Expected Outcomes

Upon completion, participants will:

  • Feel more confident and less anxious in everyday life
  • Recognize scams, fraud, and suspicious behavior
  • Know realistic, age-appropriate safety techniques
  • Understand how to secure their homes and devices
  • Have a personalized, practical safety plan
  • Build stronger connections and support networks

Resources