What kind of safety gate should I use?

Jazzma

My husband is in stage 5-6, still very fit physically. I need to keep him from going upstairs, to prevent falls on the steps. Has anyone found a good 'baby gate' for this? I have solid wood to attach to at the base of the stairs. The latch has to be complex enough that he can't easily open, and it has to be sturdy enough that he can't just break it down. Your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

jsps139_

I would worry that my DH would try to climb over a baby gate and fall. The things we have to try to solve, huh? I’m not very helpful on this subject, but I will stay tuned to see if someone can offer a solution.

trottingalong

Years ago my FIL had a custom made gate for the stairs. Fit in beautifully with the house and wasn’t that costly. I have looked for gates for my own home (anticipating the future) and haven’t found any higher than what’s made for a toddler. Too cheap and flimsy for an adult. Hopefully someone here has an answer.

jfkoc

He is going to try to climb over

Jeanne C.

I was worried my husband would try to climb over. Turns out that hasn't been an issue. The gate sits high bc of where I had to place it to get a flat surface. I opted not to use the screw-in cups for mounting so I didn't have to damage the banister (I am using "wall nannies" instead). He can't open the latch. He does on occasion try to loosen the bolts, but mostly he doesn't even notice it.

​fesk

I did not use a gate at the bottom of the stairs, so I cannot say if he will try to go over it. You could try installing a gate higher - above the first step - so the gate blocks more of his body and it cannot be climbed over or under like Jeanne C.

I used a gate in a hallway. The height was as high as the railings so it worked well. It didn't need to be screwed into the wall and it could not be easily opened.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BTYXJ3U?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

harshedbuzz

Another trick that may discourage going up stairs is to place a black mat at the foot of the steps. Because of impaired visual processing, many PWD will "see" the mat as a gaping hole and avoid it. This isn't universally applicable, but it might add an additional layer of safety.

HB

jfkoc

The climb over is not the worry. It is the fall in the attempt. If you husband wants to go upstairs he will try to go over the gate resulting in a nasty fall.

Jazzma

Thank you for your comments. I think it needs to be high enough that trying to climb over it will be frustrating (he can't get his leg that high) but not dangerous. I'm still looking.

Lela53

My problem is different. We live upstairs and sometimes DH wanders during the night. (I don't always know when he gets up) He will go downstairs (no carpet on the steps) and sit on the couch until someone finds him. We live with our daughter and her family. Has anyone had experience with a gate in an "open" hallway?

ButterflyWings

@Lela53 Welcome to this excellent group but very sorry any of us need to be here.

I don't know what to suggest for you or Jazzma that wouldn't maybe cause further risk. Like, you don't want to hang a curtain across the opening at the top of the stairs, as he might just fall down from there if he leans on it or something else. What about a rope, kind of like they use in airport lines, or at the theater — maybe even hanging a "STOP" sign on it. At least if he is able to read and comprehend right now. Might that stop him? I would suggest pushing a heavy desk or shelf in front of it, but if my DH could see over it, he'd try to climb over and down anyway.

Mainly, I think you and the OP will need to have some way of alarming or alerting you that your LO is about to try something risky and then try to validate and redirect him. If it were my DH, he would try to climb on and over the gate and likely fall. At 80+ even falling "up" the stairs could cause an injury or even broken bone.. He used to try lots of ways to exit the house as a wandering spirit since early on. @Jazzma have you tried hanging a curtain there to hide the opening? When DH was rummaging in his closet and changing clothes multiple times a day I eventually hid the closet door opening (hospice nurse's hack) and it worked! Out of sight, out of mind. He forgot the door (and closet) were even there!

The only sure cure for us to stop him from going through doorways unsupervised though, was to be awake and right there with him to redirect. He even tried to climb out of a ground floor window once after the alarm stopped him in his tracks at the front door. He retreated and went to take a nap (so I thought), only to hear the shrill alarm again a few minutes later. Thankfully I had re-armed the thing when I turned it off the first attempt. 24/7 line of sight supervision is no joke.

This was all sundowning behavior at our home, so maybe you can narrow down the timeframe that your LOs are doing this and make sure they are not by themselves. If middle of the night, I understand it is not ideal. Been there, done that. Something to help them sleep more soundly may be in order if that is the case. With the understanding that can make them a little woozy and wobbly if they get up and start moving anyway. There is no way around increasing amounts of supervision with a PWD. Good luck to you both.

​fesk

The gate I posted above was used in a hallway. It was the same height as the other railing - so fairly high. However, as ButterflyWings mentioned above, I also used an alarm. I put a motion sensor in the room which would alarm if my mother tried to get out of the bed. The gate was a back up.

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Caregiver-Wandering-Prevention-Mountable/dp/B008BMASJM/ref%3Dsr_1_2_sspa?crid=2OK3PLBEGXEP3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.w-_9kTuapw0sS_e0sGsS4ZNRE-p_nRj3OR9VpB6NwQZfSM1cwm0Y6RjkWegsdM1UbnE4Tk5t_6My19DVYUj6N9A0qPgppLz9GUaDmzQQP77j2iwstYTjptsJ5-jcX7kOMvL4IVgomvp2BjJ1hXBfVKbcFijx3u_Sg5sZxHLivbw1bKaxwRTtBqtsHM5fySnx6J0G67WYN7DutET3xY1mNvwUpnIMCnMctGz8SuTDuoM.PS47iYudHzibleBsZ3rhKMrv7aHBwPIn8JpIPqgVsvs&dib_tag=se&keywords=smart+caregiver+motion+sensor&qid=1720228090&sprefix=smart+caregiver+motion+sensor%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

scoutmom405

In searching for a safety gate I found "cat gates" they are tall gates, not sure if latch is complex enough.

LosAngeles

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/69679/what-kind-of-safety-gate-should-i-use

I ordered one from Gatekeepers to go at the top of our stairs. They're made for elderly adults. I talked to the owner on the phone and gave him the measurements; they made it and sent it, then I hired a handyman to install it. The latch is on the bottom and my DH has not figured out how to undo it. It's very sturdy.

https://www.gatekeepersafe.com/special-needs-gates