When you are caring for someone you love who has received a dementia diagnosis, you may have some concerns. The biggest concern is the possibility of your loved one getting out in the middle of the night. You do not want your loved one to open a door while you are sleeping and end up in an unknown location. Not only is it a scary thought, but it is something that has happened to others in the past.

To prevent such a serious problem, it is important to review door security for dementia patients. When you invest in high-quality security products, you can stress less and feel better knowing your loved one cannot just open the door and leave at random and potentially put themselves in harm’s way.

As a caregiver of a person with dementia, your goal is to always keep your loved one safe. You don’t want your loved one to feel like they are locked in and stuck inside the home, but you don’t want them to go wandering around outside either.

Here are my top picks for letting you know when a loved one heads for the door, and the details on each one are further down the page.

Door Security Options to Keep Dementia Patients Safe

Check out this list of some of the simple door security options that are effective and convenient for the loved ones of those with dementia. Use any of the items on the list to make your home much more secure.

Door Chime With 500FT Range

• Tells you the moment a door opens
• One sensor and one receiver, with no wiring and no app
• 58 chimes to choose from and 5 volume levels
• Silent mode flashes an LED light instead of making a sound
• Add more sensors to the same receiver for more doors

This is a simple door chime. One sensor goes on the door, and the receiver sits wherever you will hear it. When the door opens, the receiver sounds off.

The 58 chimes are handy if you want to watch more than one door. Give the front door one sound and the back door another, and you know right away which one opened. You can add more sensors to the same receiver.

If you set the volume to mute, the receiver flashes a light instead. That works well if you want quiet in the house but still want a signal you can see.

Now the downsides. The receiver has to plug into a wall outlet, so you can only put it where there is one. The 500-foot range is for a clear line of sight, and walls will cut it down, so place the receiver fairly near the doors.

A chime also only tells you a door opened. It does not lock anything or stop anyone. If your loved one is up and about at night, you will want to set the volume so it wakes you, and you may want a lock as well.

For a caregiver who wants a quick, no-fuss way to know when a door opens, this is an easy place to start.

ZZRUI Door Stop Alarm

• Sounds a 120dB alarm when pressure is applied to the door
• Comes as a 4 pack, so you can cover more than one door
• No wiring. It runs on one 9V battery (not included)
• Three sensitivity levels (Low, Medium, High) with a switch on the side
• Switched off, it works as an ordinary rubber door wedge that holds a door open
• Made to grip floors, including tile, without sliding when the door opens

The ZZRUI Door Stop Alarm is a wedge you slide under a door. When the door pushes against it, the alarm goes off, loud enough to wake you from sleep. That gives you a chance to get up and see what is going on.

It was made with intruders and travelers in mind, but the same idea works when you live with someone who has dementia. If your loved one tends to wander at night, the noise tells you the door is moving before they get far.

Setting it up is simple. Put a 9V battery in, flip the switch to “on,” and set it under the door. The gap between the bottom of the door and the floor needs to be between 0.38 and 1.35 inches for it to fit. On a very smooth floor, the High sensitivity setting is the one to try.

The wedge also works as a plain door stop when it is switched off. That is handy for the daytime, when you want a door held open without any noise.

Now the downsides. It only sounds when the door is pushed, so it will not tell you if someone is standing at the door or has already gone out. It also does nothing to lock the door or keep it shut. And a loud siren may startle your loved one, so think about how they will react before you use it.

It is best for someone who wants a simple alert at one or two doors, at home or on a trip. If you need a door that cannot be opened at all, you will want a lock instead.

Vive Health Caregiver Door And Window Alarm

• Sends an alert to a wireless pager when a door or window opens
• Pager has a large stop button and three notification settings
• Works from up to 150 feet away
• No drilling needed, it sticks on with self-adhesive

The Vive Health Door and Window Alarm is made for keeping an eye on a loved one who wanders. When a door or window opens, the alarm sends an alert to the pager that comes with it.

If you want a simpler, plug-and-play option that sounds a chime whenever a door opens, I made a video showing you the SECRUI wireless door chime for dementia care.

The pager is the part I like for dementia care. You can carry it with you, so you don’t have to be standing near the door to know it opened. It works from up to 150 feet away, which covers a lot of house and some yard.

The pager has a large stop button, which helps if you’re half awake at 3 a.m. It also has three notification settings, so you can choose how it alerts you.

Setup is simple. It’s a two-piece alarm held on with strong self-adhesive, so there’s no drilling. It works with any door or window.

One thing to know: the alert goes to the pager, not to the whole house. If you want a loud alarm that also wakes other people in the home, think about whether one pager is enough. You’ll also need to keep the pager with you, and nearby, for it to help.

If you want a simple way to know the moment a door opens, without installing anything, this is an easy place to start.

PRIME-LINE Door Knob Lock-Out Device

• Keeps the knobs keyhole covered and concealed
• Easy to install by putting the device on top of the knob
• Available for less than $20
• Keeps individuals with dementia from being able to turn the knob and open the door

Why I Recommend It

While alarms are always beneficial to have, you might also want to look into getting the Prime-Line S 4180 Door Knob Lockout Device. The device goes over the traditional doorknobs in the home and it may only be opened with a key. If your loved one has opened knobs in the past to get outside, you may want to consider getting this device for any knobs that lead to outdoor areas, including the front door and back door.

Yet another way to give yourself a bit more peace of mind at home, this lockout device is best to use at night. Be sure to have a plan in place though in case of emergency and you and your loved one need to leave the home suddenly.

Ideal Security Pressure Floor Mat Alarm

• May be used both indoors and outdoors
• The 3-mode setting allows you to adjust the sound of the alarm and turn it off when you do not need it
• Easy to put in place and set up
• Durable

Why I Recommend It

Another way to create a secure environment without the use of traditional door alarms is to use the Ideal Security Alarm Mat. You can place a mat on the floor by each door that leads outside, including any side doors you might have.

Simply put these mats out at night. If your loved one is roaming the house and gets too close to the door, an alarm will go off from the moment the mat gets stepped on. The mat identifies the pressure that occurs when a person stands on it, which is how it works effectively.

A security alarm mat is a perfect addition to a home where someone with dementia lives. It is not always possible to predict when an individual with this condition will attempt to roam around. Unfortunately, people with dementia do unintentionally wander away from their homes at times.

With the convenient security mat, you can make sure that you hear a noise when your loved one gets too close to the door. You can either leave the mats out all day long or put them down on the floor at night when you are most concerned about your loved one leaving the home.

Why Is It Important to Increase Door Security for Dementia Patients?

People with dementia are often unaware of what is going on around them. At times, they may start wandering around because they feel afraid, stressed, or unaware of where they are. Due to their forgetfulness, they might assume that they are in the wrong place when they are at home where they belong. Because over-stimulation and stress can cause someone with dementia to begin wandering, you need to be prepared for what could happen.

You have probably heard stories about people with dementia getting out of the home, wandering off, and not being found for days or weeks. This happens when there is not enough security in the home. A person with dementia may no longer remember details about themselves, such as their name, address, or names of relatives. When they cannot remember this information, it becomes harder to reconnect these people with the loved ones that are looking for them.

Other ways to know if someone with dementia is up and moving are to use chair alarms or wireless bed alarms.

For more tips of providing a secure home for people with dementia, AARP has great guide for caregivers of dementia patients that you can read by clicking here.

Summary and Final Recommendations

Taking extra security measures means doing what you can to keep your loved one safe. If your loved one does try to unintentionally wander about, these door security options can let you know right away. Many of these options can make you feel more at ease, including door alarms, doorknob covers, and alarm mats.

You may want to invest in several of these products to use around the home for safety reasons. Once you have invested in the extra door security options, you may get better sleep at night because you no longer need to stress as much!

Do you know of other ways to enhance door security for dementia patients? Tell me about them in the comments below!