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Super Contributor
Posts: 611
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

My husband has Alzheimers and wandered away from our home last week. I had bought one of those doorknob covers usually used for toddlers, but we forgot to put it that night! I see some door alarms online and wondered about them. Anyone have any experience with them? Thanks.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

They make a chain lock style of alarm that works pretty well. You might want to check out Lowe's or Home Depot.

Bless you and your husband on your journey.

It's God's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting. U.S. Marines
Super Contributor
Posts: 4,222
Registered: ‎06-23-2013

If you Google for other forums for caregivers, they'll have better suggestions. I vaguely recall someone suggested a window-style alarm, that sounds when the door is opened.

It's a complicated issue, because caregivers don't want to lock up their patients, but safety is a concern, too.

Contributor
Posts: 36
Registered: ‎03-13-2010
There are some very simple alarms that are less than 20 that will alert you that someone has opened door or walked past. We installed one on our side gate that rings a bell if someone walks up into the yard. Alarm rings inside. Also great for people that have pools and little ones
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,533
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I have jingle bells hanging from my patio door so I'm aware when it opens.

Single leather strap with brass sleigh bells.

Super Contributor
Posts: 453
Registered: ‎03-25-2010
You might look at home depot or lowes too. One of my daughter's friend has an autistic child who will just leave the house. They found an alarm with a contact so it rang whenever the contact ""stopped contacting"". It has worked well for them.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,745
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

Sam's Club use to sell a pack of 10 single door programmable alarms for a very reasonable price that my mom used on all of her doors while my dad suffered from dementia. They worked. Bless you during this difficult time and also your DH.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,245
Registered: ‎04-16-2010

Pianomama, you've gotten some good suggestions. Could you leave the doornob covers on all of the time? My son and DIL have them on all of their doors that open to the outside. They have a little three-year-old (my little angel!) who's a real escape artist but she can't get past those plastic guards on the doornobs. The only problem with those is the other adults in the house with any kind of weakness or damage in their hand may also have difficulty opening the door.

Super Contributor
Posts: 4,044
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

You could probably find door alarms at places like Home Depot or Lowes. However also go look for door and window alarms at pool stores. They have battery operated ones that you just stick on to the top (or side) of the door (or window) and when you have them switched on, they will go off and they are very very loud. But, since they are battery operated you do have to make sure the batteries are frequently replaced and that the switch is "on".