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Best Door Chimes for Seniors with Dementia
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Door chimes alert in-home caregivers when seniors leave the house—which could be dangerous for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
These door chimes for seniors differ from traditional home security door sensors because they don’t send alerts to a monitoring center or app, nor do they set off a loud siren meant to scare people. Instead, the in-home caregiver keeps the chime box in their pocket or a central location for instant alerts.
Our favorite door chime for seniors is the SMPL Alerts 4-in-1 kit because the caregiver can carry around its alarm pager, and there’s a motion sensor and wearable call button to round out the package.
Best door chimes for seniors
- : Best overall
- : Best for multiple doors
- : Best for budgets
- : Best motion sensor
- : Best wearable
Compare the best door chimes for seniors with dementia
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1. SMPL Alerts: Best overall
The SMPL Alert 4-in-1 Kit covers all the bases for ensuring your loved one doesn’t wander out the door. The motion sensor can be placed near the door for an early warning alarm, while the door sensor lets you know when the door opens. This kit includes a portable pager and a wearable help button.
You can also use the motion sensor from this kit in another area of the home, such as near the senior’s bed for a fall alert.
The pager includes a belt clip and works within 250 feet of the sensors. And the pager sounds an alarm while also vibrating and flashing.
We love that this system also includes a help button seniors can use to call for help. It only works if they’re still in range of the pager, though, so it won’t work if they’ve already wandered too far.
2. YoLink: Best for multiple doors
The YoLink Smart Home Starter Kit includes four door sensors and a base station. Its station announces which door opened, which is especially useful in a larger home since caregivers will know which exit to check.
The base station works within 1000 feet of each sensor and uses a special technology called LoRa to improve its range over multiple floors. YoLink can also tell you when a door is ajar.
3. Stechro Wireless Door Chime: Best for budgets
The Stechro Wireless Door Chime is a budget-friendly option with one flaw: the chime must stay plugged in. But with five volume levels, it should be loud enough for caregivers to hear, especially when placed in a central location.
You can get kits with up to three Stechro Door chimes to cover all exits in the home. Up to 62 ringtones are available, which helps prevent the chime sound from scaring seniors who may already feel confused.
The Stechro Wireless Door Chime has the second-longest range on our list at 600 feet, making it ideal for larger homes.
4. EverNary: Best motion sensor
The EverNary Wireless Caregiver Pager connects to a motion sensor instead of a door chime. This connection makes it ideal for an open floor-plan space to alert the caregiver when the senior wanders close to the door.
We especially like the adjustability of the EverNary motion sensor, allowing you to set it up just right for fewer false alarms.
Be sure to select the Portable Pager option for a chime caregivers can take with them. It has a limited range of just 260 feet in an open area. We recommend testing how far the pager works in your home since walls and other obstructions can lower the range.
5. Alerta Patch: Best proximity wearable
The Alerta Patch offers a unique solution for Alzheimer’s and dementia wandering prevention. A wearable sensor applies to the skin on the person’s upper back for one month. The sensor pairs to a “Wedge,” which looks like a remote control. An alarm goes off if the sensor travels farther than 65 to 95 feet away from the Wedge.
This option is excellent for seniors who have tried to remove other wearable devices or may be a flight risk when attending appointments or other activities away from home.
Unfortunately, there’s no tracking technology in the patch. If your loved one disappears, the Alerta Patch can’t help you find them. Check out our recommended GPS trackers for Alzheimer’s and dementia instead if you need tracking.
Final word
We think the best door chime for seniors is the SMPL Alert. It’s a basic bundle of senior monitoring products for in-home caregivers. It also has a portable pager that offers three alerts. You can stick with the starter kit or buy additional SMPL sensors to cover every exit.
FAQ
Yes, there are other types of wandering alerts for seniors. For instance, you can use pressure-sensitive floor mats as a door alert instead of motion or door sensors.
Yes, video doorbells can be positioned inside the door and used as a more sophisticated motion sensor. Be sure to get one with a motion-activated chime so that the in-home caregiver can hear when it goes off. However, we like portable pagers made especially for seniors who wander because the chime goes off continuously.
How we reviewed door chimes for seniors
We looked for door chimes offering a connection to a portable pager or had another unique alert system for in-home caregivers. We also based our top recommendations on the signal range and the ability to add more sensors if needed. Learn more on our methodology page.
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