Common Security Problems in Elder Care Facilities

A lot of these aged care facilities these days have already improved their Security Risk Management although there are some adverse conditions that remain that demean the efforts in crime prevention and this condition should not be disregarded by the management. Although in the past, such conditions have helped the criminals and will still continue unless there is a serious action applied. Areas in these facilities where the security is at risk are the following:

Facility grounds or its landscape

These grounds can be an easy access with criminals if left without any security measures. Trees and other plants often – if not most of the time interferes with lighting so the Security Management of the facility should take preventive steps to protect the facility’s residents from the criminals.

Elder Care Facilities

Poor Lighting

Having proper lighting can deter criminals from entering the facility; but as you know, if a facility has poor lighting, then this serves as an invitation to criminals to enter. The thing with external lighting, they are designed without a real understanding of its importance in preventing crime. Although it is common for some houses and care facilities to have incorrect lighting and illumination and those lights that are non-operational are often forgotten or not reported by staffs – especially the night staffs or their security personnel. Any poor lighting needs to be checked and reported.

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Criminals can easily go through a facility without being detected when a facility have poor lighting.

Improper positioning of reception desks

In most aged care facilities’ reception desks are not positioned properly for better surveillance of the whole facility especially with the main entry or the bathrooms for the visitors. These conditions are favorable to criminals.

If you notice when visiting an aged care facility that the reception desk is often unattended, which could give criminals easy access to go inside the facility. As a security measure for the Management, they should take this into consideration and ensure a safe facility.

Treatment Rooms and Utility Rooms Left Open

Unattended rooms especially the utility rooms and treatment rooms can be a dangerous place and even serves as a hiding place for criminals. Did you know that sharps such as knives are being stored in the utility rooms? The management should be more adamant in keeping their facility safe and secure not just for their residents and staffs, but also for their visitors especially those with children.

Key Control

This is one of the main issues on who has access to the master keys. Staffs that are careless often times leave the master keys on the desk unattended and like most facilities, there is no clear key audit practice.

Today, some facilities have taken advantage of the technology and have now started using electronic access and proper key issue control.

Facility Policies and Procedures and its Security Measures

Most of these policies and procedures are irrelevant and in most cases, often get ignored by their staff. Those to have committed such infractions claim that they are not aware of them.

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These common problems mentioned above are very common security problems. They are however, not the only ones on the list, but these are the most common ones that are often ignored by the management. Other security problems that facilities encounter are the following:

  • security technology used
  • contracted security personnel
  • safes
  • kitchen area left unlocked
  • External doors.

These may look minor, but this can cause major issues when it comes to the safety of your loved ones staying in the facility as well as the facilities’ own staffs.

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