Everyone knows you should have a smoke detector or two in the house. From what I've seen as I'm out and about in seniors' homes, most do. What I also see is that many haven't checked their smoke detectors or changed the batteries in years.

If you aren't there to do it for them, at least you can be happy that your parents apparently aren't getting up on step stools or ladders to check their detectors themselves. On the other hand, they could go up in flames because they haven't.

Most municipalities, large and small, have fire prevention programs in place. Local firefighters will visit older adults to install, check, and change batteries in smoke detectors. Call the local fire department where your parent lives and ask whether they have a smoke/fire detector program. With their permission, sign your parents up.

And if anything in your parent's home is gas-fired and they don't already have one, next time you visit bring and install a carbon monoxide detector, too.

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If your parent is living in an assisted living residence, is there carbon monoxide detection there? You might be surprised to find that there isn't. Most states require smoke/heat/fire detectors, but they haven't caught up to the need for carbon monoxide detectors. If there aren't any CO detectors in your parent's residence, you need to make some noise on behalf of all the residents. While you're waiting for the wheels of administration to grind one way or the other, install one in your parent's apartment right away.