Which security lock is better for preventing a loved one from leaving the apartment at night?
My mom, 94, has recently progressed from banging at the entrance door to the apartment calling "mother, mother" to going downstairs at 2:30 in the morning, knocking on the superintendent's door and wandering around the lobby in her nightdress. Thankfully, the superintendent brought her safely up. As it turned out, the locksmith was in the building the next day to change the locks on the entrance doors in the lobby, and I spoke with him. He gave me three options: door guardian, barrel bolt with padlock and double cylinder deadlock. Since mom would be able to reach the door guardian despite her short stature, I am afraid she'll soon figure out how it works, even though it is childproof.
The barrel bolt with padlock would require a key. My two concerns are not that mom will get upset/angry at the sight of the padlock. Also, I am in and out six times a day, and sometimes she gets angry and locks me out by putting on the chain. The other concern is accessing the key in an emergency.
The third option was a double cylinder deadlock, again requiring a key that opens from the inside and outside. My concern again, is having to get out in case of emergency (although the superintendent would also have a key) , and the frequency of my coming and going.
Are there other options that the locksmith has not mentioned? What has your experience been with child/senior proof locks?
I am afraid there are no door locks that will be sure-proof. Mom may start banging on your front door from the inside, in the middle of the night, shouting she needs help. And that isn't fair to the other tenants who are trying to get a restful night sleep.
Try placing a black or dark green throw rug on the floor in front of your exit door. To some people who have memory issues, it looks like a hole in the floor, thus they will stay away from it. It's worth a try.
Otherwise, it is time to hire caregivers to help Mom during those time frames where she is most active. That is if your Mom's budget can handle the cost. Or Memory Care Assisted Living, I know many grown children don't want to move their parent to Assisted Living, but it does benefit both the elder and the grown children. The Staff has been down this road hundreds of times and know exactly what to do in each new situation.
When my Dad lived in Independent Living at a senior complex he was doing well until he started to get "sundowning". I know I was surprised when the Staff recommended it was time for him to move over to their Memory Care section... that was when I found out Dad was wandering. What a relief knowing Dad could not leave the building. The place was like a resort type hotel, so "lock down" didn't give that trapped feeling. Dad really enjoyed the sunrooms for reading his morning newspaper :)