Door security for elderly parents: know their door is locked

If you look after an older parent from a distance, the front door is often the thing you think about last thing at night. Is it locked? Did the carer lock it? This is a practical checklist for an older person’s front door, written for the adult child who wants to help without taking over. Most of it costs little, and the last item is how to see from your own phone that their door is locked, with nothing new for them to learn.

Is the lock itself up to the job?

Most UK front doors on newer homes use a euro cylinder lock. It is worth checking three things:

• Is the cylinder snap resistant? Some older euro cylinders can be snapped, a common method of forced entry on uPVC and composite doors. Look for a cylinder marked TS007 with three stars, or SS312 Diamond. A locksmith can usually replace a cylinder in under an hour.
• Does the insurer expect a particular lock? Many home insurance policies expect a BS3621 lock or an equivalent standard on the final exit door. Check their policy before changing anything, and keep the receipt if you do. Our guide to locks and UK home insurance explains the standards.
• Is it easy for them to use? A thumb turn on the inside is often easier for stiff or arthritic hands than a key, and it means they are never locked in with the key in another room.

Who can get in if they cannot come to the door?

A key safe beside the door means family, carers and, in an emergency, the ambulance service can get in without forcing the door. Choose one that meets the police preferred specification (look for the Secured by Design mark), fit it somewhere not obvious from the street, write down who knows the code, and change the code when that list changes, for example when a carer leaves. A key safe solves getting in. It does not tell you whether the door was locked again afterwards.

Can they see the lock, the step and the path?

Good light at the front door helps your parent see the lock and the step, and makes the door less attractive to anyone passing. A dusk-to-dawn porch light or a motion sensor light costs little to run. Check the path for loose slabs and trailing plants while you are there.

What do telecare and pendant alarms cover?

Telecare is a family of devices usually arranged through the local council or a telecare provider. A pendant alarm lets your parent call for help after a fall. A door exit sensor alerts a monitoring centre or a family member if the door is opened at night, which matters if wandering is a concern. These services are about responding to an emergency. They are not designed to tell you, at ten at night, whether the front door is locked.

A needs assessment from the council’s adult social care team is free and is the usual starting point for telecare, grab rails and other help at home. Age UK can explain how to ask for one.

How can you know their door is locked without phoning?

This is where Locksure fits. A small monitor sits beside the lock they already have. They lock the door exactly as they always have, with the same key or thumb turn, and the monitor reports locked or unlocked to a small display hub at their house and to the Locksure app on your phone.

• What they have to do: nothing new. The hub plugs into a socket in the hall and connects to their home WiFi, which you can set up on a visit. The monitor runs on a replaceable CR2032 coin cell, typically 18 months depending on use, so there is nothing to charge.
• What you see: locked in cyan, unlocked in amber, with the time it last changed, from anywhere with a connection. A door can be shared with brothers and sisters too.
• What it is not: it cannot lock or unlock the door, it has no camera or microphone, and it is not a telecare device or an alarm.

The Thumb Turn Starter Pack is £89.99 with the hub included, which qualifies for free UK delivery, and there is no subscription. If their door is locked with a key on both sides, the Key Turn Starter Pack is £99.99 with two monitors. One person can fit it on a visit. Not sure which lock they have? Send us a photo and we will check before you order.

What if memory is becoming a problem?

Leaving the door unlocked is often one of the first small things to slip. If you are seeing it more often, our guide When a parent starts leaving the door unlocked covers how to talk about it, what helps, and where to get advice, including the GP, Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK. If carers visit during the day, Carer visits and the front door covers the “did the last one lock up?” question.

What does each option cost?

Locksmith, key safe and telecare prices differ by area and provider, so we have not put figures on them. A written quote is the safest guide.

Where can you get advice?

These organisations are independent of Locksure and offer free advice on care, benefits and support at home:

• Age UK, advice line 0800 678 1602
• Alzheimer’s Society, for memory and dementia questions
• Carers UK, helpline 0808 808 7777
• The adult social care team at your parent’s local council, for a needs assessment

Questions

Will my parent have to use an app?

No. They lock the door as usual. The hub in the hall shows the state; the app is for you.

Can I see their door from my own home?

Yes. The app shows the last reported state from anywhere with a connection, and you can share the door with other family members.

Does it fit their lock?

It fits suitable euro cylinder locks with a thumb turn or a key. It is not a universal fit, so send us a photo of the lock and we will check before you order.

What if their internet goes down?

The hub at their house still shows locked or unlocked. Your app shows the last state it received until the connection returns.

What if it does not suit them?

There are 30-day returns (you pay the return postage) and a 1-year warranty.