When an aging family member is prone to wandering, finding a way to curtail that scary behavior is essential. Try some of these ideas if your aging adult is an escape artist.
Install and Use a Keyed Deadbolt
Deadbolts that use a knob on the inside of the door are extremely easy for your aging adult to unlock on her own, which could easily lead to your senior disappearing for a bit. Replacing that type of lock with a keyed deadbolt gives you a little more security about a wandering senior when the door is locked.
Put a Chair or Other Piece of Movable Furniture in Front of the Door
Some aging family members who are prone to wandering see situations in a very specific way. So if you place something in front of the door, such as a piece of furniture or a chair, your aging adult may walk right on by rather than going out the door. If this is a door that you use often, you may find that it’s alright to use a light, easy to move piece of furniture to get the same results.
Conceal the Door Knob
Again, if you interfere slightly with the way your elderly family member perceives the situation, you can get some great results. Try concealing the door knob itself with a towel or a jacket. This can convince your senior that what she’s seeing isn’t a door knob, but simply a hook.
Place a Stop Sign on the Door
For some aging family members, simply seeing a visible indicator that they shouldn’t go somewhere can be enough. Try getting a reproduction of a stop sign or printing one out in color. Tape it to the door and see whether that helps your elderly family member understand not to use that door.
Hang a Curtain Panel Over the Door
In other cases, smaller concealment options may not work as well. You might want to try concealing the entire door, if that’s the case. An easy way to do this is to hang a curtain rod across the top of the door and secure a curtain panel to the rod. Slide the curtain across the door to hide it completely and use curtain tie backs when you need to use the door.
Having homecare providers available when you have to be elsewhere can help you to feel more confident about your elderly family member not wandering while you’re away.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Homecare Services in Cornelius NC, please call the caring staff at BlueDot Cares today, (704) 586-9248.
Jimmy Clonaris is Managing Partner at BlueDot Cares, where he oversees operations, caregiver standards, and service delivery for in-home care across the organization. With more than 19 years of experience in healthcare and over a decade with BlueDot, he has been directly involved in building and scaling care programs that support individuals aging at home.
His work focuses on the practical side of care delivery. This includes caregiver training and oversight, care plan consistency, and coordination with families and local healthcare professionals. Jimmy is actively involved in ensuring that care is not only well-structured on paper, but executed reliably in the home.
Over the course of his career, he has worked with thousands of families navigating care decisions, from short-term recovery support to long-term in-home care. His approach is grounded in clear communication, accountability, and building systems that allow caregivers to deliver consistent, high-quality support.
Under his leadership, BlueDot Cares has grown to support tens of thousands of families while maintaining a locally operated, relationship-driven model. He continues to focus on strengthening the team, improving care standards, and ensuring families have a dependable partner when care is needed.
