Security for seniors living and care homes
For operators, administrators and facility managers of seniors apartments, supportive and assisted living residences and care facilities in Alberta and BC.
Updated
The quick answer
A seniors residence or care home needs doors that keep residents at risk of wandering safe without trapping anyone in a fire, a front entrance where staff can see and greet visitors, access control so staff reach the areas their role needs, and cameras in common areas only. Door alarms and delayed-egress locks are planned with your fire alarm contractor and the local authority, because exit doors must still release in an emergency. We work on multi-unit residences and care facilities, not single-family homes.
What operators tell us about
Common concerns
- Residents at risk of wandering leaving through exit doors
- Visitors arriving outside visiting hours with no one at the desk
- Medication and records rooms on shared keys
- Staff unsure who came in during the night
- Old door alarms nobody knows how to reset
What helps
- Door alarms that alert staff phones or the nursing station
- A video intercom at the front entrance
- Fobs for staff by role and shift
- A log of every door opened
- Cameras on entrances, hallways and parking only
Systems that fit a seniors residence
| System | What it does |
|---|---|
| Door alarms for wandering | Alarms on exit doors and stairwells that alert staff when a door opens, with a keypad or fob for staff to pass through. |
| Delayed-egress locks | Where the fire code and the local authority allow them, exit doors that release after a short delay and always release on fire alarm and power loss. |
| Video intercom | Visitors call the desk or a staff phone from the front door, and staff see them before letting them in. |
| Access control | Staff fobs for medication rooms, records, kitchens and staff areas, by role and shift, with every entry logged. |
| Visitor management | A record of who visited and when, for visiting hours and contractors. |
| Security cameras | Entrances, hallways, lounges, dining rooms and parking. Never in suites, resident rooms, washrooms or bathing rooms. |
| Parcel lockers | Residents and families collect parcels without staff handling every delivery. |
Fire code, exits and door alarms
Locking or delaying an exit door is a fire and building code question as much as a security one. Doors in the exit path must release when the fire alarm activates and when the power fails, delayed-egress hardware is allowed only in certain buildings and conditions, and signs may be needed. We plan the access control side, connect to the fire alarm output and test the doors with your fire alarm contractor, who looks after the fire alarm itself. See stairwell re-entry and fire alarm door releases.
Not code advice. The local authority having jurisdiction and your fire alarm contractor confirm what each door needs.
Dignity and privacy
Cameras stay in common areas: entrances, hallways, lounges, dining rooms and parking, with signs. There are never cameras in suites, resident rooms, washrooms or bathing rooms. Alberta’s and BC’s private-sector privacy laws (both called PIPA) apply to video and door logs recorded by businesses. Post signs, point cameras only where you need them, limit who can view footage and keep it only as long as you need it. Health information rules may also apply in care settings, so check with your privacy officer. Not legal advice.
How we work around residents
We work in short, planned stages so exit doors are never left without an alarm, schedule noisy work away from meals and quiet hours, and brief staff before each door changes. Every worker follows your visitor and infection control rules.
We work with seniors residences across Alberta and BC from our Edmonton head office and our offices in Calgary, Red Deer and Kelowna, and hand over admin access and full documentation on every project.
Your checklist
Before the site walk
- Floor plans with every exit and stairwell door
- Which areas house residents at risk of wandering
- Your fire alarm contractor’s contact
- Visiting hours and how visitors check in today
At handover
- Doors tested with the fire alarm contractor
- Admin access and full documentation in your name
- Staff trained to respond to and reset door alarms
- UPS and camera health alerts, if you want them
Worried about residents leaving unnoticed?
We’ll walk every exit with your team and plan door alarms with your fire alarm contractor.
Related: multi-family securityvideo intercomfire alarm door releasesmedical clinics
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
We repair and take over cameras, access control, intercoms and alarms installed by other companies, when your current provider has fallen short.
Help: Export Avigilon video
Seniors living security questions
How do you stop residents at risk of wandering from leaving?
Door alarms on exits and stairwells alert staff when a door opens, and staff pass through with a fob or code. Delayed-egress locks are added only where the code and the local authority allow them.
Can exit doors be locked in a care home?
Exit doors must still release on fire alarm and power loss. Delayed-egress hardware is allowed only in certain buildings and conditions, confirmed with the local authority. Not code advice.
Do you work with our fire alarm contractor?
Yes. We connect door hardware to the fire alarm output and test it with your fire alarm contractor, who looks after the fire alarm itself.
Can door alarms alert staff phones?
Yes. Door alarms can alert staff phones, a nursing station display or both, so the nearest staff member can respond.
Where can cameras go in a seniors residence?
Entrances, hallways, lounges, dining rooms and parking. Never in suites, resident rooms, washrooms or bathing rooms.
How do visitors get in after hours?
A video intercom at the front door calls the desk or a staff phone, and staff see the visitor before letting them in.
Can medication rooms be limited to certain staff?
Yes. Access control limits each door to the roles that need it and logs every entry by name and time.
Do you work on seniors apartments as well as care facilities?
Yes, on multi-unit seniors apartments, supportive and assisted living residences and care facilities. We don’t work on single-family homes.
Can you take over our existing door alarm system?
Yes. We take over systems installed by other companies, regain admin access where you own the system, and support it from there.
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Get a seniors living security quote
Tell us about the building: floors, exits, residents’ needs and what you have now. We’ll follow up to book a site walk.
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