Situational Awareness and Personal Safety
Seniors today face unique safety challenges as they balance independent living with an increasingly complex world. From rising scams and identity theft to distraction in public spaces and the risk of being targeted for crimes of opportunity, older adults are often seen as vulnerable. At the same time, many want to stay active and engaged in their communities. Education on situational awareness provides practical, confidence-building tools that reduce risk, support independence, and help seniors feel safe in their daily lives.
Older adults today face a rapidly changing safety landscape. Seniors are often targeted by scammers, identity thieves, and predators who view them as easy victims. At the same time, many older adults want to remain active, independent, and engaged in their communities. This one-hour training, Situational Awareness for Seniors, is designed to empower participants with practical skills, legal knowledge, and everyday strategies that build confidence while reducing risk. The session focuses on awareness, prevention, and preparedness—providing tools seniors can use immediately in their daily lives.
Topics Discussed:
Participants will explore five key areas of personal safety:
- Scam Awareness – Learn to recognize the most common scams targeting seniors, from phone and email fraud to doorstep schemes. Attendees will understand the tactics scammers use to pressure or confuse victims and gain practical steps for refusing, reporting, and recovering from attempted fraud.
- Becoming a Hard Target – Discover how predators choose victims and how seniors can project confidence to deter threats. Through tips on body language, assertive communication, and situational awareness, participants will learn how to carry themselves in ways that discourage opportunistic criminals.
- Maine Law & Self-Protection – Review the legal framework around self-defense in Maine, including when force may be justified, what protections exist for defending property, and how to stay within the law while protecting oneself. This section provides clarity so seniors can feel empowered without fear of legal consequences.
- Personal Safety While Out and About – From parking lots to public transportation, seniors will learn how to navigate community spaces more safely. Practical advice covers traveling with mobility aids, limiting distractions, and recognizing unsafe situations before they escalate.
- Home Protection – Explore simple, effective ways to make a home more secure. Topics include door and window safety, neighborhood awareness, and how to develop a communication plan with trusted family or neighbors to strengthen safety at home.
Learning Objectives / Value to Attendees
By the end of this session, participants will:
- Understand the most common scams targeting seniors and know how to respond safely.
- Recognize how predators select victims and apply techniques that make them appear more confident and less vulnerable.
- Gain clarity on Maine’s laws regarding self-protection and the reasonable use of force.
- Develop habits for safer travel, errands, and community participation.
- Apply home safety strategies that reduce risk while supporting independence.
This training is designed to be interactive and encouraging, not fear-based. Seniors will leave with a toolkit of practical strategies that protect their safety, strengthen their confidence, and help them maintain the independence they value. The overall goal is simple: to give older adults the knowledge and confidence they need to live their daily lives feeling secure, capable, and empowered.
Presenter Bio:
Autumn Schmidt is the founder of She’s An Asset, a women’s safety and empowerment training company that takes a holistic approach to personal safety by blending situational awareness, self-protection, and confidence-building strategies. Her teachings are unique as she applies her law enforcement, martial arts, and education background.
At the young age of 5, Autumn was already learning the ins and outs of mixed martial arts, and by the age of 12 she was assisting with teaching martial arts classes to students ranging in ages from 4 to 60. Autumn went on to become a Captain of her Sport Karate Team, achieving accolades, such as 3x Maine State Grand Champion, placing second in New England as well as winning several national titles. Autumn’s expertise spans various disciplines, from Shotokan Karate to Muay Thai Kickboxing, underpinning her successful self-protection programs.
Autumn became a police officer when she was 20 years old. While working full-time, Autumn became both a certified Instructor and a Defensive Tactics Instructor for the Maine Police Academy. At 26 years old, Autumn suffered an unexpected career-ending back injury that left her couch ridden, depressed and as she describes it, at her “rock bottom”. During that time, Autumn decided to transfer her skills to life coaching, utilizing her training, education, and experience to help others break through roadblocks in their lives. Autumn remains active in law enforcement as a part-time police officer working in a community policing position.
Over the last nine years, Autumn has built a professional coaching practice, coaching hundreds of professionals to find their authentic selves, tap into their own unique gifts and abilities, and work with those gifts resulting in major breakthroughs. She continues to reach out to others through her world-renowned podcast, ‘She’s An Asset’, as well as in person seminars for businesses. Autumn is a sought after speaker with experience speaking nationwide with She’s An Asset continuing to grow impacting thousands of lives nationwide.
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