My Brother In Law has Alzheimer's and is prone to wandering during the night. His wife put door alarms on all the exterior doors a couple of years ago. They are $20 GE battery alarms with a 4 digit keypad to arm them. One on each door. I bought them for my house also for when they come to visit. Last night one of hers failed. He went out during the night and the alarm didn't sound. Luckily, his wife heard the door and got up right away. When she went out after him, the alarm DID sound. Batteries are good, not sure what went wrong, I am 4 hrs away.

So now she doesn't trust those alarms and wants something different. I thought about putting a Simpli Safe system in for them (Ring has a similar setup). I put one in my daughters house recently and it has been reliable - so far. I can get a basic system with 4 door sensors and a camera for $220. But they really don't need the camera and that is half the cost. And I don't know if those door sensors are really any better than the one that failed. Lots of stuff on the internet, but who knows whats good and whats not. Never much info how how these cheaper ones actually work. They live on a farm and have 4 doors that would need to be protected.

Anybody used anything for this purpose and liked it? Thanks.

Do you have a GPS tracker for him? These are pretty inexpensive should the door alarm fail for some reason.

It would have to be something he could wear to wear to bed, and I'm afraid he would just take it off.

When my Mom started to wander we ended up putting deadbolt locks on the doors. The locks used keys on either side so she just couldn't unlock the door and wander.

let us know what you end up with , plz

My dad had Alzheimer's and my son is Autistic.

Deadbolts that take keys inside and out.
Alarm system that has door and window monitors, I know what door or window is being opened at all times, no need to arm them.
Video cameras pointed at the doors and such in case they take off so you know what direction they went.
Info bracelet that is permanently attached.

Trust me, you don't want to have to go running down the street chasing a naked old man wearing only a towel because you had just got in the shower. That then fights you all the way back screaming at you that he doesn't know who you are.

My son.. I cut his bedroom door in half and installed a lock with the lock on the outside. Had to bolt his bed to the floor to keep him from moving it to the door and leaning over it to unlock it.
Then had to put a keyed lock on it because he took stuff apart to stick in the hole (bathroom type) to unlock it.

Rode that train all the way to the end with my dad, don't wish that experience on anyone.
Best wishes to all.

Is their bedroom on the 2nd floor? Another layer that could help.
We have this on our stairs
4VWIN Wireless Home Security Driveway Alarm 1 Receiver and 1 PIR Motion Sensor Detector Infrared Alert System Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J..._api_i_gqFBCbJNPP5CB

We have small kids so we have a baby gate at the top of the stairs I put jingle bells on the gate but slept through it and found the boy in the basement.
That alarm has worked great and there is no sleeping through it.

When my elderly aunt lived with me the only thing that worked was a two sided deadbolt that needed key to leave and enter. She would ignore an alarm and she would be down the street before we could get down the stairs from the upper floors.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Do you have a GPS tracker for him? These are pretty inexpensive should the door alarm fail for some reason.

Please consider this. ^^^^

I took off work and searched on foot 18~20 hours a day for 18 days straight after my FIL wandered off. Me, the rest of the family, rescue squads from two counties, a couple hundred volunteers, horse back riders, people on 4 wheelers and expert dog teams all joined in as well in the rural area. I lost ~25 pounds in those 18 days just from walking the fields and woods of the area. I Personally searched all day one day in a 10 or 12 acre thicket and creek section that ended up being only about 100 yards from where he was found... too late.

It was his first, and last, time to actually wander off. Some of the experts suggested that in his confused state he was likely actively hiding from us.

Why not a bed alarm?
email me.

IMHO, when this starts they need more assistance than can be had at home.