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My mother lives in a senior independent living community. She and most everyone there has walkers, and residents are 'older'.-- at least 75+.


Management recently prevented outside doors, (except the main entrance) from being entered into by a key (which residents have). They put a plastic cover on the lock.


They did this last year about January 2021, claiming it was for Covid and they wanted to prevent nonresidents from coming in without signing in. We just sort of dealt with this and figured it would pass. And, since about May the plastic covers had come off, and residents were regularly using their keys to enter those outside entrances.


2 years ago, my mom got an apartment near that entrance for the reason it was convenient, and for the very reason she wouldn't have to walk around the whole building. This is now putting an extreme risk, as when she comes back from an errand or appt, she now has to walk around the entire building, OUTSIDE, to get in. Then, she has to make the long walk back to her room, which is a distance from the main entrance, inside. She does not have the strength to do this. She needs her walker to do this (she leaves it outside the door when she leaves, and uses another one in the car). It is extremely distressing to her, and this now is a burden to me and my other family caregivers.


When this originally happened, they said, oh, well, you can just call from your phone and someone will open the door for you. Really? Well, mom does not have a cell phone she carries, and having a cell was not a condition of moving in. Last year when this happened, I inquired of a another independent facility, and they do not lock the outside doors -- they were appalled at this.


This facility is not assisted living, nor a nursing home, and it takes away the "Independence" as well. Personally I think this is illegal, and honestly cruel.


I am planning to talk to the management this week, but I would appreciated any insight or help with this to strengthen the argument. This is in NY.


Thank you in advance.

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Frankly I support the idea of using the single entrance. These days it is too easy for unwanted people to get into otherwise secure buildings by following others through the door, or for tenants to prop open a door to get back more easily. Can your mother adapt? How is this a burden to you and the rest of the family?
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I can understand the logic. Family members having a key and coming in during lockdown. As long as Mom can get out of the door it may not be illegal. If she can't get out of the door, thats against the fire code.

Why does she need to walk around the building to the main entrance, does she park near her apt? If so, maybe she could park near the front entrance and then only have her room to walk to?

Your Mom should carry somekind of phone. It does not need to be fancy but something just for emergencies.
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caringchild01 Sep 2021
Actually family members do not have a key. Only residents do. She parks near her apt which is near that entrance. The main entrance is halfway around the building. There are usually no parking spots available near that entrance so again she has to walk. And in snow and with a walker..not a good option at all. Also if she did park there then she has to walk halfway around the building inside to get to her apt. If she was a Able to get inside near her apt, It wouldn’t be an issue as much.

at 90 it is exhausting to walk and she just does not have the stamina. Again though it was sold to her as a plus to have that nearby entrance.
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Mom is 90 and does not have the stamina to do this. By the time she parks near her apt, she is walking halfway around building outside to get to main entrance. With a walker, purchases, and in inclement weather.. we have snow. Then once inside she must then double back the original route inside to get to her apt,

outside door only for residents with keys. Family members do not have them. Keys are marked do not copy. It is a burden to family as we must now go with mom around the buildings, walk outside, etc. with her. And make sure we are available to help with these trips. Note family have already signed in at front office when we arrive.
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Grandma1954 Sep 2021
For the key that says..do not copy..
Most big box home improvement stores have a kiosk where you can make your own key. You put the key in and it is cut. You do it yourself so in theory a copy of the key can be made.
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A friend of mine, her mother is in IL and they have done the same thing to prevent people from entering that are 1. not residents. and 2. have not been screened.

It does make it inconvenient.
Does she have a friend she can call when she wants to come in and have a friend open the door for her. I am assuming they can leave by that door. (If not that is probably a Fire Code Violation that can be reported.
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Not sure what the answer would be. Perhaps get in contact with somebody in a government agency who could answer about the legality of it. It seems like it would be an extra liability risk to have a 90 year old resident walking a long distance just to get to her apartment. https://profiles.health.ny.gov/acf/services
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My aunt’s independent living locks all doors except the main entrance. Other doors open from the inside for fire safety. No one comes in the building except front entrance. It’s for resident safety. Management is always aware of visitors in the building.
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For heaven's sake, when I was in COLLEGE, the doors in the dorm were locked except for the front door (which was locked at 10 p.m.). The other were only to be opened as emergency exits, and I suspect that's the case with these doors, too. They CAN be opened from the inside.

It isn't illegal, so just relax. Have a calm, productive meeting with management to see what their reasoning is for this move and what can be done to help those residents who don't have the level of mobility needed to walk the distances required. Perhaps they can install an intercom system since your mom won't carry a phone.
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It may be time for your mother to move to another senior living residence which better suits her preferences. There is nothing 'illegal' about how this particular residence chooses to keep their residents safe or conduct their business. It sounds like compromise is required on your mother's behalf too, if she wants to continue living in this complex (ie: get a cell phone) or consider moving to the community that doesn't lock the outside doors. I doubt the management is trying to be 'cruel' by instituting these rules........why not just speak with them, calmly, and see if you can reach an agreement?

There comes a point in time where seniors require different levels of care and/or ease of lifestyle which IL does not offer. When mobility becomes limited to the point where walkers aren't safe traipsing through snow, etc. That's when other arrangements should be considered for safety reasons without placing fault anywhere. Think about whether your mom has reached that point and whether this IL has passed its usefulness for her. My folks lived in an apartment style IL for 3 years until such time as the set-up no longer worked for them and I had to find another senior care facility that was better suited for their needs.

Good luck!
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caringchild01 Sep 2021
Thank you for this practical response!
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Ask the facility if the can install cypher locks on the locked doors.
If they say no then ask for the name of their attorney since a fall is imminent this winter or possibly after a gulley washer rain fall.

Cameras and electric locks would also be another option for them and that would maintain their imaginary security.
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JoAnn29 Sep 2021
Hi Sailor
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Simplest solution is just getting her a cheap cell phone. Better to have one for safety reasons as well, especially since she's still driving.

Seems easier than moving to another IL anyway.
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Caring, Setting aside the current door & parking drama…. If there was a fire at her independent living could she entirely on her own get up and out of her apt and walk whatever feet (50’ maybe?) to get to the predetermined “safety site” for a fire within a few minutes?

The way you describe her, it seems like she can’t. If so, I’d suggest you start to look for AL unless she has other issues that show her need for skilled care so she can go into in a NH.

How does this IL do fire drills?
Any idea how your mom has fared when a fire drill was done?
That definitely is something I’d bring up when you speak with management. It may be that she realistically is not at all “independent” enough for IL. This is often a difficult conversation between management & residents (and their family) plus puts in play residents needing a huge increase in $$$ to pay for AL or NH or to hire a sitter or shadow. If it’s independent living, they need to be able to be cognitive and competent enough to comply with rules of the facility (even if they change) and do their ADLs on their own. If the place still has multiple points of egress (doors open to leave / exit), it’s going to be ok for fire rules. The IL do not have to allow residents to come in thorough all the doors. They can limit entry to the main entrance.

My moms IL did fire drills routinely. If a resident didn’t get to the preset zone in a somewhat flexible period of time via stairs or flat ignored alarm & stayed in thier apt, they got a 30 day Notice to Move.

If you don’t mind me asking, How is this a “burden” to you?
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