I wanted to add a comment about my mother, who has dementia, who was leaving the house and roaming the streets.

We put on those children-proof plastic covers over the door handles that prevented her from opening the outside doors. After a short period, she figured out how to open the doors anyways.

Several years ago, we put dead bolt locks on the "outside doors" to lock us INSIDE the house. Yes, it's probably a fire hazard, but it keeps my mom from roaming outside (she lives with adults who can open the doors in case of a fire). Everyone in the family has a key and has to let themselves into the house with their key, lock the door behind them with their key, and then lock the door with their key after they leave....kind of a pain, but it works.

An easier method might be to put one of those cheap chain locks at the top of the door, out of reach from person with dementia.

• Re: Preventing patient from ROAMING & RUNNING AWAY grany031 22:40:11 11/18/00 (0)