I am currently researching PERS (personal emergency response systems). One lingering question I have is how emergency responders gain access to a home that's locked. As I prepare to convince my mom on using such a system I'd like to be able to tell her what happens if she pushes the button including how the responders could reach her if her doors are locked (they usually are). Do most responders carry tools for unlocking locked doors or do they have to break in?
We didn't try to convince mom. My brother just installed it.
I guess we were very lucky that my mom understood that there were things that needed to be done to keep her safe and us sane!
CTTN, the exterior lock box can be placed where it's not obtrusive. My father's is just above the doorbell; I don't even notice it when I go over.
A word of caution though; don't get the locks that are like those used for lockers in school back in the 60's. They're the kind with an upside down u-shaped latch. When we were searching for exterior lock boxes, Dad made the observation that someone could manipulate a hack saw in the space between the u shaped portion and saw the lock off.
Sure enough; I tried I with a small hack saw and got it inbetween the vertical bars of the lock. I didn't try to saw it, but I can see that a determined burglar could saw through, especially at night when an older person is asleep and wouldn't hear the sawing sounds.
So Dad's lockbox is screwed into the studs on the outside of the door. It's simple to use with a 4 digit code that can be changed any time.
I've been giving it to EMS for years as they can get to his house in 5 - 10 minutes but it would take me an hour, depending on the time of day.
And you can choose any combination of numbers or change the code anytime you want to.
And Mom could totally could afford to make these changes — just as she could afford AL. But nooooo. She would not spend a dime on any sensible thing that would make her day-to-day safe and functional (and allow me to sleep at night).
But who’s counting, right? It’s so important to “respect their autonomy,” bla bla. UGH.
I’d love to say I learned something from all this....but I’m not sure that I have. Other than learning how little I have left in the tank to deal with anyone else’s bull-puckey. Forever.
I doubt my paranoid mother will let anything of any kind be placed on or near the front door. I'm not sure she's capable of reasoning that maybe I wouldn't always be able to get to her condo before the emergency responders do.
Another thing she refuses to do for her own safety is to get a bathtub conversion. She's told me that she has to lift her first leg out of the tub when she takes a shower, because she has neuropathy in her feet and can't really feel it. (And she told the AL place we looked at 8 months ago that she would like someone to monitor when she showers AND be there when she gets dressed.) She said she didn't think she would be in her condo long enough to make the tub conversion worthwhile (doesn't want to spend the money). I then told her that whether or not she got the tub conversion could directly affect how long she stays in the condo.
She has the money, and won't hire someone to help her with showering and dressing. And I refuse to be her personal care attendant.
She doesn't like to spend money. She doesn't seem to see that someday that might affect her safety...but, she is mentally competent in the eyes of the law, so the situation remains the same. My brothers care, but from a distance, and no one wants to confront her about these issues. So if they are okay with the status quo, I am, too.
Back to lockbox - there are new old style spin types, digitals, and the best are the ones that blue tooth to your mobility devices (phones, tablets, computer) that advise when they are accessed and for how long etc. Realtors aren’t the only ones who use these, contractors do too. And today, many homeowners want to only allow certain workmen in the house, at certain times and they don’t want to give keys out. They give say the plumber his own code, he arrives, puts his code in, gets the keys, comes in does the work, locks the door, puts the key back in the box and leaves. As long as your door requires a key to lock it, you will know when he got the key out and when he puts it back. And you don’t want the kind of door lock where you just turn the button on the inside and pull the door up. These are not safe period, and you wouldn’t know when he actually left. He could unlock, put the key back in the box, and just pull the door up to leave. You wouldn’t know how long he was actually there with that type of lock. A deadbolt keyed on both sides is best, you can’t get accidently locked out either like we did years ago.
There are lockboxes just for real estate companies that work with their systems, but you can get them too.Try vaultlocks.com or better yet, call your local well known lock shop that has been around for 30-50years. Stay away from those just in business a few years -too many scams and fly by nights. Research their product and the brands they sell. Do a search “complaints against whatever brand lockbox” and/or even the locksmith to see if there have been problems. And call your police dept and ask for home safety department to get their advice before getting anything. Plus ask them their actual protocol for getting in with and without lockbox - don’t guess. A good lockbox where you can monitor it might cost you $150-200 but peace of mind is well worth it. I know some monitor/security companies have their own but still you want to know who goes in and when, for how long, etc. If it isn’t monitored, and get it in writing, I would look for another security company. Good luck.
And regarding her short-term memory loss and using the PERS, well there's just one button to push so I'm assuming (maybe wrongly) that most older folks can manage that. I think if she get's in the habit of wearing it then she'll use it. Thank you all for the thoughts and comments.
Realtor lockboxes can only be used by licensed real estate Agents, plus in the larger metro areas the newer lockboxes require a coded credit card that is updated daily via computer attached device to open. You might be able to find an older out-of-date spin dial model that would be ok to use.
ejwachter, as I recall on another posting, you mentioned your Mom might be having short-term memory issues. If that is the case, would she be able to remember how to use a medical alert device? And that it is to be used in emergencies only?
In the worst case scenario, if the responders had to break down the door, that is still better than an unattended emergency.