Security and Door Locks

Hi, LindaLouise. You are right to get ahead of a potential problem. My DW has mild dementia but I have taken steps to be ahead of the curve. Consider getting door sensors, which are fairly cheap but effective. I use ones made by Braumm. They are easy to install and there is an app you can put on your phone.

You can set the sensors to emit a loud noise (which is intended more for intrusion prevention) or a simple chime. But the sensor will alert you on your phone. You can tell him that you are putting them up so you will know if someone tries to enter the house. But if you keep your phone with you, you will know.

Additionally, you might consider home security cameras which will alert if someone is outside. A more costly route, but they provide video so you can tell who it is.

I anyone has sensors that they like, could you post a link here? There are so many different types on Amazon that it’s hard to figure out which work the best and are easiest to install.

I found sensors on Amazon that also work through my Alexa dots. I can set up a routine that tells me what door is opened. I have three doors that lead outside. I'm not a tech genius, so if I can do, most anyone else can.

I also ended up putting child proof locks on all the doors, he has never figured out how to open them. I only use them at night .

I'm also in that in between stage where one night my DH tried to go outside to use the bathroom. Scared me. He got very angry when I tried to stop him. I got between him and the door and thankfully he didn't go out. I calmly walked toward the bathroom and told him the bathroom was this way and motioned with my arm and he followed me. I did buy the locks for my lever handled doors but haven't put them on yet. We live in an apartment and can't put anything permanent unless we pay to have it returned to original if we move. I got an alarm for beside the bed so I will know if he gets up. Everything I do he understands it's being done but doesn't understand why because if I told him he was trying to go outside he would deny it.

Texoma2808, thank you for sharing. I need something more robust and this may be the answer.

When my husband started wandering, I reversed the door handles on the front and back doors so they are keyed from the inside and the button is on the outside. There is also a deadbolt on both doors so I don’t worry about the fact that handles can be unlocked from outside.

you have to find ones for your specific door knobs or handles. We have the lever handles in our apartment. These are the ones I ordered. Haven't installed them yet as the Risperidone as stopped his episodes for now. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0896QGV3T?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

My DH wears an Apple Watch with cellular service so I can find him using the Find My app. This proved invaluable when we were visiting in Florida, and he wandered blocks away down the beach before we knew he was gone. At home, he can’t get out of the house because I have reversed the door knobs so they are locked with the key inside instead of from the outside. There’s still a deadbolt which he tries to unlock from the inside, but the handle remains locked. I sleep much better now. Some mornings I get up and I see the deadbolt has been opened during his nightly wandering. If I need to leave for a quick errand, I have three Alexa show devices around the house, which I can “drop in” on. We can see and talk to each other without him having to do anything. When he sees me on the screen, I believe he thinks I am in the room with him, the same way he thinks things happening on the TV are happening in the house. Thank goodness for technology!

The Echo Show has a screen, so we can both see and hear each other. In the living room where he spends most of his time, I have the 10 inch version that swivels to face him when he talks. I’ve spoken to the memory care where he’ll eventually go, and they said a lot of residents have them in their rooms.