, and it is not drilled into the wall? My husband has rarely been wandering but I have a fear that he will fall down the stairs when I am not with him. He goes slowly and carefully down them now but we are always with him. Any other ideas? I have thought about an alarm on his bedroom door when he would open it. If possible do not wall damage. Just starting to see what is available.
Just curious is 1954 the year you were born? My older son was born in 1955.
I considered putting up a gate at the head of the stairs so I could bring Mom for an overnight visit. Sis had a single story home with a dog gate with a door, to keep the dog out of the living room. Mom tried to climb over the gate, several times, she once even made it over, even though sis told her not to. She couldn't remember long enough to learn to open the gate first.
Knowing Mom could not follow instructions I never brought her home overnight the last few years. I knew she got up several times and I couldn't stay up all night to watch her. (Actually she didn't care at that point as for years before that she only paced when I brought her for a visit)
( I think he also has vascular dementia but it is certainly not worth putting him through test at this point. )
Another option would be a safety latch up high on the door so he could not open the door without removing the latch. Much like what you find on the inside of a hotel door. The problem with this is in an emergency you would have to remove the latch or if first responders try to get in they will break in the door or a window to get in. So it is not the safest thing.
If you try to keep him in his room maybe a mini fridge with snacks and water or juice so he does not have to leave the room, if this is all he is after. Not sure if he has dementia would he adapt to the fridge or not.
Be sure to install baby safety gates at stairways and door openingsHardware-mounted gates are the best and most commonly used. They are the only gates that should be used at the top of the stairs. A gate at the top of a staircase is the most critical one that you will install and must be hardware mounted. It needs to be drilled and attached to both sides of the gate location. Here are a few things to look for:
A gate that’s easy to use with one-handed operation.
A safety mechanism that prevents it from opening out over the stairs and will only allow it to open toward you.
A gate that automatically locks when you shut it to reduce the chance of “user error.”
Some of these gates are self-latching, which means you will not have to turn around to close the gate. Simply swing the gate behind you until it hits the latch, and it will lock itself.
Gates installed at the top of the stairs should have a special safety bracket or mechanism that prevents them from opening out over the stairs. Most often, stairway gates are attached with the hinged side to the wall and the latch side to the post. Instructions for installation are as
follows:
Assemble gate
Hold at top step. You do not want the gate to be out over the step in any way. You also want the gate to be straight across the step
Mark the hinged side and measure up 7” to mark the first hole
Check for studs.
Install wood rail, if necessary, and attach hinge to rail/wall/doorway.
Attach gate to hinge.
Use level to make sure gate is level.
Extend gate to proper size.
Mark gate contact point on latch side.
Install post kit/baluster kit/ wood rail, if necessary.
Mark latch holes and pre-drill.
Attach latch.
Adjust gate so it latches well and is secure.
You can use Velcro squares on the latch to cut down metal on metal noise and on the gate itself where it hits the wall
Lean hard on the gate to be sure it’s secure and can withstand a child pushing on it.
Gates at the bottom of the stairs will follow the same instructions as those for the top of the stairs. Sometimes, the gate at the bottom of the stairs will need to be installed one or two steps up to achieve a cleaner, more secure install. Many staircases have radius banisters that make a bottom step install more difficul
#1 Install a riding chair rail. (depending on his mobility issues a yes or a no)
#2 Build a partial bath on first level where his bed will be moved. Make it a small walk-in shower with seat. (small, assuming he has normal BMI)
dad had a full bath in his room, but he'd started going out to the other one right outside his door, so when he was heard up that morning, either he also went to that bathroom or it was thought that's where he was but wasn't; either way, not sure how much an alarm would have helped, since he'd gotten to where he was being up and down all night like...let me go back and see who was talking about that