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Keeping Valuables Safe at Home
People who use AAC and people who have physical disabilities may have a number
of people who provide them with daily services and care and who have access
to their personal belongings. People who use AAC often report that their
things “go missing”; are borrowed and not returned and that
it is difficult to keep track of their things. One male reported that
a staff person stole his food and drink but that it was difficult to prove
because he could not physically open the kitchen cabinets to check on
his things.
The majority of the participants in this project wanted to
learn more about ways to keep their things safe at home.
ACCPC takes no responsibility for any of the suggestions listed here.
These suggestions are intended to highlight issues that can be customized
for an individual. We ask that you share your ideas with us so that we
can in turn share them with other AAC users. Contact Us with Your Ideas
Issues for People who use AAC 
- People who use AAC may have many people who come into their homes
on a daily basis to provide care /services. They may be unable to physically
handle their own things and need to rely on other people to put away
or retrieve their private belongings. They may not be able to physically
open drawers or closets to search for their things and may rely on memory
to know where things are kept.
- Many people who use AAC tell us that their things are often stolen
or misplaced. AAC users who cannot physically search their rooms, report
that they worry about things being safe and often feel intimidated to
ask someone to check for them as it might be taken “the wrong
way”.
Tips for Keeping Valuables Safe at Home
The following suggestions have been made by people who use
AAC:
- Put a poster size list of all valuables that are not locked up on
your wall e.g. CD’s, DVD’s, video’s, stereo, TV, collectibles,
etc. This can allow you to check your things, and also lets others know
that you know what is supposed to be there.
- Keep a list (inventory) of your valuables so that you (or someone
you trust) can check them on a regular basis.
- Purchase and use one of the following items:
- Lock box
- Safety deposit box
- Containers that you cannot see through
- Containers that you can see through
- Containers with photographs of the contents on the outside
- Cabinet that locks
- Security cable that allows you to lock an item to a table/desk/shelf
e.g. TV, stereo, radio, etc.
- Ask someone you trust to check your things.
- Ask someone you trust to keep valuables in the office.
- Hide items under things in drawers/closets/cupboards.
- If you need to have large amounts of money at home, lock it up!
- Put your name on items.
- Use items that are too big and hard to steal! (For example, one
participant deliberately bought a big TV.)
- Locks
- Monitors
- Security Alarms
Phrases to Communicate About Keeping Valuables Safe at Home
You may also need vocabulary to tell people how you would
like your things handled, or to deal with someone who is touching or taking
things without your permission.
You may want to:
- Choose a message you want to use.
- See if you can communicate this message in an effective and efficient
way.
- Decide if you want to have it added to your device or display.
- Decide how you want the message represented:
- You may want to discuss how and when you would use the message.
- You may want to practice using it.
The following vocabulary items have been suggested
by people who use AAC:
- "Please leave my things alone."
- "That’s private."
- "That’s mine."
- "Please don’t borrow my things unless you ask me first."
- "I don’t like lending my things."
- "If you take my things again without asking, I will call the
police and report it to the manager."
- "Please open my lock box in front of me and show me what is in
it. The key is…"
- "Please take out my things in front of me."
- "Please show me what is in there."
- "Please check my list of things and tell me if everything is
there."
- "Please get the list of my CDs and make sure they are all on
my shelf."
- "Please lock that away in…."
- "Please open/don’t open that."
Communication Support
Sample Communication Displays
Picture Displays
The following displays use Mayer-Johnson's Boardmaker v5.x software. If you want to edit or print any of these displays you will need this software.
Text Displays
The following displays use Microsoft Word software. If you want to edit or print any of these displays you will probably need this software.
Practice Scenarios
- Where could you keep money at home? Who and how would you ask to get
it for you?
- What sort of valuable things do you think should be locked away?
- How do you keep track of your CDs and DVDs?
- What would you do if something very valuable went missing?
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