Elderly infirm relative is in the habit of leaving the side door unlocked so that visitors can get in. Obviously that isn't safe but I am at a loss as to what to suggest. (it would take her 5 mins to get to the door) Some sort of entry phone with remote unlocking - or even a keypad so she could give the code to vetted visitors seem to be options. However, she has never been one for locking the door and would be reluctant to spend much money - and I don't want to enter into any complex instalation.
A key lock in which she can place a key outside the door. They work by putting in a code but are mechanical so no batteries to run out. The key or keys are simply placed inside them. They are great for access by emergency services also. Saves them having to force entry.
All the fitting that is needed is a few screws to the wall and hey presto.
If the concern is a sneak thief rather than physical security, how about a loudish chime alarm on the door which sounds when it is opened? It would alert her to someone opening the door, and should discourage the sneak thief attempting to make a quiet entry.
Unless she is going to check all her visitors' IDs thoroughly before opening the door, she is vulnerable to physical attack anyway.
The 'cupboard door switch' with a buzzer might suffice
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see Shop and Visitor Alarms at
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etc probably have similar
For intercoms of various sorts, the following are speech only but cheap as chips (under a tenner). Ebay.co.uk item nos.; (no connection with any of the sellers)
5805751133
5804936323
5804809844 - video - under a tenner (at the moment)
5997316551
There are a couple of people near me with them. They are part of a monitored call system, and the monitoring station passes the number on any emergency service they need to call out. It seems to work fine (one of the houses went through a period of frequent ambulance callouts, and AFAIK, the scheme always worked). It's probably worth contacting your local council's Social Services department to find out what schemes operate in your area. Councils are often quite keen to install such systems, as they enable people to live in their own homes for longer, which is much cheaper for the council than having to pay for a care home place.
Our neighbour (no older than us) recently called the ambulance but couldn't unlock the security grille outside her back door. The ambulance people had to call the police to break down the security grille. The neighbour was dead by the time that happened.
A system like the one you suggest would have been ideal. You've made me think ... do you have an more information?
| > There are a couple of people near me with them. They are part | > of a monitored call system, and the monitoring station passes | > the number on any emergency service they need to call out. It | > seems to work fine (one of the houses went through a period | > of frequent ambulance callouts, and AFAIK, the scheme always | > worked). It's probably worth contacting your local council's | > Social Services department to find out what schemes operate | > in your area. Councils are often quite keen to install such | > systems, as they enable people to live in their own homes for | > longer, which is much cheaper for the council than having to | > pay for a care home place. | | That sounds like an excellent idea. | | Our neighbour (no older than us) recently called the ambulance but couldn't | unlock the security grille outside her back door. The ambulance people had | to call the police to break down the security grille. The neighbour was dead | by the time that happened. | | A system like the one you suggest would have been ideal. You've made me | think ... do you have an more information?
A trusted keyholder within short driving distance is a good idea. For years I held the key, and code the alarm, to my sisters house, The police once called me for a false alarm. A notice with the keyholders name address and telephone numbers on a door would be all that is required
Not a lot. The monitoring station have numbers of nearby family who they try first (unless it's clearly an emergency requiring a direct ambulance call). If they fail to contact the family, then an ambulance callout is made anyway. In one of the cases I know, 3 family members live within a few hundred yards, but just occasionally, something goes wrong and they can't be contacted. I guess this may vary depending on availability of local family/carers and needs of the person.
I presume the phone is the type with a wireless alarm pendant worn by the person, which they can press to cause the phone to dial out to the monitoring station and the phone to operate in speakerphone mode, so the monioring centre can speak and listen in without the person having to be near the phone.
Like I said, you should ask your local social services how they handle this in your area.
Incidently, a friend of my parents' had a similar scheme. He fell over and tried to use it, but this unfortunately coincided with someone cutting through a 400 pair phone line which took BT 5 days to fix (also cut off my parents phone service). By the time he was found, he was in a very bad way due to being on the floor for some days with a broken hip, and died a few days later in hospital. So even these schemes are not infallible. Some monitoring stations might make a regular call to the person as a further check.
Incidently, my burglar alarm can be programmed to send an alarm to its monitoring station when expected things don't happen, such as someone not moving around the house for some time, not getting up in the morning, kids not arriving home from school by some specified time, etc. I suspect we'll see more of this sort of thing deployed, as the cost of transfering people into a care home is so expensive, it can be worth spending quite a bit to try and keep someone in their own home if at all possible.
Our neighbour lived alone (but she was very active, had been gardening the day beforeshe died). We're even more active and not alone - yet. But one day it will happen.
Thanks, I shall.
That's a sad story but it must be exceptional.
Hmm. We don't have a burglar alarm but that's another system to consider. The trouble with that is that we lead very haphazard lives, we're certainly not here regularly (either hourly, daily, weekly or monthly!) When we are here there's very little routine.
Not only that, a lot of us would do anything not to live in such a place.
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