Security for the elderly

Hi All, looking for your suggestions - have done a search but no luck.

Had a conversation with my 80 year old mother in law recently [ no, the MiL jokes don't apply to me - she is a great lady]. She was quite disturbed as she is very independant and lives on her own.

She had seen a news report where some "feral" had broken into an old lady's place by bending the security door - it appears he pulled the door from the bottom opening corner and actually bent the door from the centre lock to the bottom hinge - creating a hole by which he entered and attacked the old lady in the worst possible way - words fail me to express my disgust at this supposed excuse for a human being.

I have checked out her doors [3 of] - all only have centre locks - have made some calls and there are now triple locks available to obviously prevent this problem.
Have been told that they can't be retro-fitted, not economical, can't be done etc - the gist of it is buy new doors. This is not really an option at this time.

I have looked at a possible solution:-

as high up - attach a pad bolt at a comfortable height which she can operate - this should take care of the top.

down low is the problem - 80year old ladies do not bend over all that easily and retain their feet and stability. I have thought of using a retractable door stop pin ie with her foot she can engage the pin into a hole drilled into the floor - to release she can trip the release collar and the pin should retract.

- I am aware that there is a potential problem of the hole filling with debris as these are at the house entry points.

- I am also concerned that if she needs to exit the house in a hurry [fire?] that these extras could be a life threatening problem.

Both the pad bolt and the retractable door stop would be attached to the door with appropriate hardware.

Any ideas???

Regards, and thanks,
Bob

PS my doors at home also only have a centre lock -- how are yours?

I can't remember what the correct name is but I will try to describe a suggestion:
* A single, central, handle;
* A long rod either side of the handle, each penetrating the door frame and floor (the two rods operate simultaneously); and
* A key operated locking device in the handle.

Together this device 'locks' into three points and is obviously more secure than a sinlge central device - but it is still on one side only. I have no idea what the cost is.

soth

I think that if you placed your pad (barrel) bolts half way between centre and bottom it should make it very difficult to bend the door if not impossible. This would place the latch just above knee height so comfortable.
I would also question the need for one up at the top as no one could gain entry up there.

:) Another suggestion if funds are limited is to go to a demolition yard.

Measure your door and look around for a second hand door with the triple locks. May save a lot of butchering and frustration.

It will only cost you travel time if you have no luck.

Get a door bolt that is about three feet long. No need for bending then. The hole in the floor will need to be occasionally vaccuumed out.

Dan

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Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

I would also question the need for one up at the top as no one could gain entry up there.

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Never underestimate the criminal ingenuity of a scrote. They can and will use any means to gain entry.:~

We have a triple bolt on the rear security screen, a single on the front door, both are powder coated aluminium.
I reckon I could rip each security screen door out of its frame, using my hands only.... the single bolt door would be easiest, and the triple would require a little more effort.

The bolts can be as strong as you like, but if the door frame can be buckled to move the frame away from the bolt holes by about 2 inches.... its no good.
Pad bolts would add a little extra security, but not burglar proof the doorway.

If the door frame is not made from steel, have a look in a security yard for a steel frame, triple bolt fitted security door.

Other than that, check out the personal alarm systems that you can wear.... a small pendant that you can push a panic button and it calls the monitoring firm who calls the owners phone. If no answer, they send the police/ambulance, and ring the nominated contacts.
Its a great system, my great-aunt has one and it costs $16/month. She got hers through the Qld RSL .... its not subsdised but the RSL passed on brochures about it.

My aunt reckons that if anyone tries to break in, then she'll press the alarm and tell the scumbag that the cops and her nephew are on the way... and that the nephew is bringing his pig dogs.
She also likes it because she doesn't have to drag herself to the phone if she falls and breaks a hip.

Bolts, locks, bars and alarms keep out kids and honest people.

Get a dog. Good company. Effective deterrent.

Bob

Triple locks can be retro fitted. Quite often used to do this when I worked for Summercraft Security Doors and Screens in Lismore NSW.

Hi Bob

From a different tack what are the chances that anything bad will happen to her. Back about ten years ago I was Neighbourhood Watch liaison officer and this worry from the elderly always came up.

The chances are very very very remote that anything will happen but the elderly do worry themselves about it.

A couple of things I would suggest.

1. Get a medi-alert that has the back to base remote around her neck so that if she gets worried she can push it help is on its way. Also get t an outside alarm that she turn on if worried.

2. Program 000 into her phone and have a couple of phones around the place.

3. Get a dog, little fluffy one whatever, the barking will ward off most offenders and is a companion as well. (I have never been to a burglary where the has been a dog at home.)

4. Explain the statistics regarding her chances and that lunatics have been around since cain bashed his brother its just that it gets reported. I remember stats that you are less likely per capita to be murdered today than in the 1930's but damned if I can remember where it came from.

good luck

dazzler

I had single bolts on all the doors, but after the 3rd break in I got the message and now everything has 3 point security, and a burglar alarm ( 2nd hand, installed it myself - it calls my mobile!). Does your local police / fire service do security assessments? - they're always full of bright itdeas. I agree with the comments about the aluminium "security" doors. I can get through our old one with one hand. It needs to be steel to do anything. I bought ours at the local charity shop for $15 and its an odd size! There are also plenty in the demolition yards if you've got the patience to hunt. Once you've got an unbendable door, then drop bolts with long handles are easy to fit, and don't need much bending or stretching. Your local aged care service might have good ideas, or even a fixing service.

Got to a wreckers, check out the latches from the upper tailgates on old Holden PVans & Wagons.

Assuming basic metalworking skills, it'd be easy enough to add similar to an existing inside latch handle, the rods can be flashed over to tidy them up and it'll auto-latch on closing. Also no need for a hole in the sill to fill with muck, although I'd be inclined to go that way rather than have an exposed striker to trip over.

No matter how good the lock, someone who's determined will find a way in. (eg. Glass windows break easier than doors.) A personal med-alert as Dazzler mentioned would probably be more practical in real terms.

Its unlikely they will bend the top down and climb up and in as for the bottom get a foot operated door stop you know those old fashon things you press down with your foot and press the lever alongside to release.
Take the rubber foot off and set it just clear the floor with a hole in the floor to press it into when the door is shut , this way she can operate it with her foot , no bending etc
The problem no one else can get in even with a key
The medi alert idea is also good, as to getting a dog they eat too much get a snake :B

Rgds

Great thanks to all who responded. - I will speak to her re the possibility of attacks, medi-alert tags, 000 is already in her phone etc.

A dog for her is not really an option - she is not that brilliant on her feet but is constantly out and about - a bit of a paradox but true - bit hard to lose that old country girl attitude of "I can do anything I put my mind to".

The one point I really hadn't considered was raised by Ashore - " The problem [is] no one else can get in even with a key." This is certainly a cause for concern.

Barry, I investigate further afield the retro-fit - we don't have the big city competition which allows for more/better options - we have a pop of about 21 000 - surrounding areas brings this up to about 26 000 - we try to buy locally but it can be difficult at times.

Again, thanks all for your ideas.

Regards,
Bob

Dogs aren' that much of a deterrent. My gilfriend's house was burgled - they killed her spaniel. Broke into our house with 2 twitty Irish Terriers (supposed to be very patch protective) in the yard. I would imagine that they went up for a pat. We told the cop about them when he arrived - he turned around and they were already both sitting in his cruiser in the back seat, waiting for a ride! MIL's 2 dogs were inside the house when she got rolled a week or so later.
Hmmmm.

Dan has a point there. Dunno.

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Dogs aren' that much of a deterrent

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Depends on the dog.
Mine would be chewing on some bones. :o

My late mum-inlaw had steel security doors fitted back and front. they both had one way view screen in them that you couldn't cut with an angle grinder 3 or 4 pins on the hinge side of the door went into the frame and basically stopped it from being able to be jimmied open.

It was fitted with a central deadlock and locked the house up like an impenetrable fortress. The one way mesh allowed for really good air flow and also allowed for you to see quite clearly everything that was outside but even with a light on inside on the darkest night it was almost impossible to see inside.

Our main problem came later on when she got dementia and kept on forgetting where she put the key (one key fitted all doors and window locks). This was overcome by supergluing the key into the lock. Our main fear was that in a fire she wouldn't be able to get out. Never worried about her locking up as this was a compulsion.

I am about to get a SmartLink Medical Alarm for my parents, wish I had known about these things and been able to afford one years ago for the Ma-inlaw, would have saved lots and lots of headaches. There is also a personal security thing you can get that has GPS locating and emergency call etc, so no matter where you are it can track you down and send help. do a Google for SmartLink, ins lifeguard, and yes sos gps

Cheers - Neil

Thanks Neil, will check it out, at the moment I'm waiting on information on the "medi-alert" system.

This appears to work on a monitored phone line but only while the person is in the house or within 50-100m of the receiver - my main concern here at the moment is, - I'm led to believe that the company installs a "mode 3" plug and receiver box which kills all other phone sockets except the one it is in - a dedicated line is a good idea but not if it locks out all other phones. Looking at daisy chaining a phone system before the plug goes into the wall.

Regards,
Bob