Security Never Strays

Feb 1, 2003 12:00 PM

Faced with the task of spending $11 million to refurbish a former monastery into a senior living facility, Landmark Senior Living Community executive director Gary Grumoli felt it necessary to implement the latest in security strategies and access control devices. With nearly one-third of the housing units reserved for residents suffering from Alzheimer's disease, access control becomes paramount to the safety of the residents.

Grumoli turned to DynaLock Corp., Bristol, Conn., to provide internal security products for residents and staff at the Monastery Heights facility in West Springfield, Mass.

“Patient wandering is a big issue,” Grumoli says. “You want to be sure you get a top-grade product to ensure the residents' safety and security.”

Grumoli chose a DynaLock 3101B delayed egress device designed to provide heightened security in facilities where patient wandering is an issue. The system offers a lock with 1,500 pounds of holding force, combined with a user-programmable exit delay that warns against patient wandering while permitting appropriate egress.

The system meets code requirements for “permitted” egress, yet provides the opportunity to respond to inappropriate attempts. Grumoli says these are significant features for a facility such as Monastery Heights, where it is imperative for the safety of the residents that they not wander into areas where they could be in danger or become lost and injured. The 1,500-pound holding force — which makes it virtually impossible to successfully carry out quick-hit thefts in retail outlets — also ensures that doors to the Alzheimer's units are not opened inadvertently.

Grumoli notes that it is important for his staff to override the system with no delay should an emergency arise. With some residents of the Alzheimer's units in frail physical condition, the importance of attending immediately to their needs, while simultaneously ensuring their safety, cannot be overestimated. Should a nurse, doctor or other staff member need immediate access to the Alzheimer's units, the delayed egress component can be quickly bypassed with a personal identification number (PIN).

The delayed egress magnetic lock meets all relevant life safety and security codes, including National Fire Protection Association code 101 (NFPA 101, which is a life safety code addressing fire safety in buildings and other structures). The 3101B also compensates for door sag or misalignment with a thumb-wheel adjustment. The lock easily integrates with security and fire alarms, bypass monitoring and status monitoring systems.

These factors are crucial when providing for resident security. An out-of-alignment door could render other devices inoperable. Even a momentary lapse in security is unacceptable in a facility such as Monastery Heights.

By connecting to an alarm or monitoring system, the 3101B becomes an ally in preventing wandering incidents by immediately alerting staff when an inadvertent egress effort occurs.

Rich Martini, co-owner of SMD Inc., a Wallingford, Conn.-based distributor, says his company had contracted to install the nurses' call system at Monastery Heights when Landmark asked that he also provide the access control systems for sections of the facility reserved for the residents with Alzheimer's.

Martini selected the 3101B Delayed Egress system, which was combined with a programmable keypad entry system. The device is fully self-contained for fast installation. No external wiring is necessary except power and fire panel tie-in. Operating voltage for the unit is field-selectable at 12 or 24 volts, AC or DC, for flexibility when making electrical connections.

The unit's self-resetting circuitry protection guards against improper wiring, and the microprocessor is field-programmable and upgradeable.

“We needed a system that was easy to program, and user-friendly for the staff,” Grumoli says.

For facilities such as Landmark's Monastery Heights, security is an ongoing issue, yet one that requires subtlety. The grounds are spacious and well-kept, the interior is bright and cheery, similar to an upscale hotel. Residents engage in a variety of activities with an attentive and friendly staff. Quality of life is an important focus, and for residents, security matters should not be a concern.

For the Record

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