What security measures do nursing homes use?

One of the challenges that nursing homes face is that residents sometimes will wander away from the facility. This can be very detrimental to their health because they could become confused and have no idea how to return to the nursing home to get the care that they need.

For instance, those who have dementia or Alzheimer’s sometimes do not understand why they are living in the nursing home. They may think that they are simply trying to go home, even though they haven’t lived in their own home for months or even years. But this can lead to them wandering off, so security measures need to be in place to prevent it from happening.

Simple tactics that can be utilized

There are many simple things that nursing homes can do to prevent wandering, such as locking doors that require a code, putting cameras in common areas or outside spaces to see if anyone leaves the facility or simply requiring caretakers to perform routine checks on a set schedule.

In some situations, things are concerning enough that a nursing home may even want to use an ankle monitoring system. These monitors can help to track residents who have left and to alert caretakers as soon as they leave the premises. This is not a foolproof system, as there have been stories of people wandering off while wearing ankle monitors, but it is one more level of security.

If your loved one has been neglected and was not given proper security, leading to injuries and other complications, be sure you know what legal options you have to hold their caretakers accountable.