Hopefully you can have some friends nearby that you all can watch each other’s back and keep the bad guys out of the neighborhood.
There are sixty one families in this gated townhouse complex. Most are retired and there are a number of older widows. However, there are older men here and those are more likely to be veterans than younger men are. Older veterans are deadly.
After Hurricane Ike, our power was off and that meant the gate was left open (and that gate is the only way in and out). Three young men walked through our gate and were met by two of our older guys. They told those men they had no business here and to leave. The guys said they were sent to pick up limbs. Our guys said we have a paid service to do that, so leave. The young guys left.
If we had a severe emergency situation, I would gather these men and I would work with them. The widows, except me, would be of no use as far as protection is concerned.
I think the families of these widows would come get them as that happened before Ike got here.
I do not consider myself among the “elderly” widows but I am likely older than all of them. And, I'm likely older than anyone on this thread, however, as Reagan said, I won't hold your youth and inexperience against you.