After an attempted break in, this bit of tech made me feel safe again

l’ll never forget the first time that I truly felt unsafe in my own home.

It was around 11 at night in September 2021. I was in my ground-floor flat watching TV when I heard noise outside – there were two men outside trying to break in.

Luckily, they saw me getting up from my chair, clocked that I was much bigger than them, and quickly scarpered.

They didn’t know that I have mobility issues and wouldn’t have been able to do much physically if I confronted them, but I knew that – and it made the next few weeks terrifying.

Eighteen months on, I’m now experiencing the kind of peace of mind about security and accessibility that I’ve not had since I first broke my back in 2001.

And it’s all to do with my Ring Intercom, outdoor security cameras and Ring app that I use to see who is at my door, monitor deliveries, let friends, family and builders into the building, and generally navigate life as someone with mobility problems better than I ever thought possible.

The intercom is an upgrade on a more standard secure door system, as I can speak to and see who is at the other end from my phone, even if I’m not in the house. 

I use a combination of the camera, Ring Alarm and Intercom, linked to my existing Alexa devices, to truly keep on top of who is, and isn’t, welcome. 

Aside from the security worries, there were a whole host of concerns that made life as someone who lives alone and has mobility issues – like struggling to walk without a stick and being unable to get up easily from bed or in and out of the bath – generally difficult.

For one, the length of time that it took me to get up and answer the door meant I was constantly missing people!

That might not seem like the biggest deal, but with my mum and brother helping me by bringing round shopping and essentials, missing them because they didn’t get a response and assumed I’d gone out did become an issue.

Now, they can let themselves into the building with the Ring Intercom Auto-Verified Guest feature or I can let them in from my phone and they don’t have to worry that I’m AWOL or have had a fall.

I also needed adaptations made to my living space to make it more accessible – and missing people who were coming to carry out this work often meant a delay to it getting done.

It means that the combination of an intercom, video doorbell, and an alarm security system have honestly helped give me my freedom back.

Truth be told, I’ve always been a bit of an Amazon Alexa addict.

At the last count, I’ve got two Echo Studios, five Echo Dots, two standard Echoes, an Echo Plus, and two Echo Shows.

It’s helped me rig out my flat in a way that allows me to use a home cinema set-up, listen to stereo quality music throughout my home, watch TV, and even cook-a-long with recipes in the kitchen.

I’d bought some of their security cameras in the first few weeks after the attempted break-in, and since then, have been slowly adding to my collection.

The intercom was actually recommended to me shortly after it was launched when I logged into Amazon.

I took one look at how it worked and immediately thought: ‘This is going to solve so many problems’.

Like so many other modern products, the intercom is app–enabled. Shortly after having it delivered, I was able to quickly connect it before downloading the app, following the step-by-step guide, and quickly linking it to *all* my other devices.

I simply say: ‘Alexa, open the door’.

Day-to-day that means that my mental health has improved – previously, I’d be stressed that I might not make it before the person left.

I spent days feeling trapped having to position myself near the entrance and unable to properly relax.

Now, I’ve been enjoying whiling away summer afternoons in my garden’s hammock, safe in the knowledge that at just the touch of a button I can let someone in, monitor for potential intruders, or even tell a delivery driver to leave my package outside.

I’ve recently had people move into the flat next to mine, and it also means when they come round to introduce themselves, they don’t have to wait around to meet their new neighbour, or worse, think I’m rude!

But it’s mainly for me, and I can’t put a price on the feeling of security that I have since installing my Ring set up.

I’m not only safer, but happier.

So often, it’s the little things that can make a big difference. And these simple devices have made all the difference for me.

MORE : I used to dread going swimming - but waterproof headphones have been a gamechanger

MORE : While I wait for hearing aids, this app helps me navigate pubs and cafes as a deaf person

MORE : Sharing access to my location through iPhone’s Find My app eases my fear of travelling as a woman