How to Use a Locking Door Lever for Elderly-Friendly Homes

In any household designed for the elderly, it is imperative that accessibility remains simple. As we age, we slowly but surely begin to lose our strength and mobility. That means previously commonly used door handles can become difficult or impossible to use. In an elderly-friendly home, it makes sense to turn to more suitable door […]

In any household designed for the elderly, it is imperative that accessibility remains simple. As we age, we slowly but surely begin to lose our strength and mobility. That means previously commonly used door handles can become difficult or impossible to use. In an elderly-friendly home, it makes sense to turn to more suitable door handles and lock types, such as a locking door lever.

To provide information about the benefits of a locking door lever, we contacted ironmongery experts, Locks & Hardware. How can fitting this particular type of locking door lock provide an elderly resident with a door handle that you know they can use safely? How does a locking door lever make sure that its conditions are safer but also easier to use? Let’s take a look.

Why Elderly-Friendly Homes Need To Find The Right Handle Type

In many households suitable for the elderly, the elderly individual is likely to have lived there for many years. As such, they like things to remain as close to what they have always been as possible. That includes accessibility and amenities, such as the types of door locks and door handles they have.

However, as time passes, our bodies change. What we once found easy to do becomes more difficult. As such, elderly individuals can start to find that the door lock latch they once used is now a little too tough for them to operate. It could require more force than they can muster, or it could be that reaching and using the handle becomes more challenging due to changes to their mobility or fitness.

As such, it does not take long for mobility and accessibility issues to necessitate a change. Many elderly family members might resist the need to change, but it is essential that the benefits are made clear. Change is not just for change’s sake; it’s to help provide them with greater independence.

After all, if there is one change in our life that is guaranteed, it is a loss of independence as we age. The more we can adjust our living situation, though, the longer we can remain independent. Sticking with the same types of door locks they have used for years can make it tougher for an elder to adapt to their new life situation.

By changing to something like a locking door lever, though, it can be easier to remain independent. Most elderly individuals would trade a little change in their door locks and handles for the ability to remain in control of their day-to-day existence. Why, then, would going for a locking door lever make sense? How can these provide the features that an elderly resident needs?

Why Lever Locks Are Best For Elderly Individuals

There are quite a few benefits that come from having a lever lock installed, mainly:

• These door locking types are easily operated using a simple button on the handle. That makes it much easier to ensure that the door can be locked without always needing a key.
• This is especially useful for interior doors, or for doors in retirement homes where elderly residents might wish to have easier access to locking and unlocking their doors.
• A lever is much easier to hold onto than a standard doorknob. Door knobs require more grip and force to turn and open, while a handle usually requires far less force overall.
• If you wish, you can also add extra security features. That could include the installation of a secondary key lock, where a more able family member or staff member can help out.
• You can also go down the route of using a code for some locking door levers. That can be useful for elderly individuals with good memory and hand-to-eye coordination.

Lever locks make it easy to lock and unlock a door without always using a key. To ensure an elderly individual gets the most out of their new locks, it pays to show them how to use their locking door lever properly.

Using A Locking Door With a Lever Handle

Of course, using this kind of door handle is fairly easy. You can show any elderly person how the new locking door lever works. Generally, the process to follow includes:

1. Ensuring that the door has been properly closed. When you close the locking door lever, it means the latch is engaged with the strike plate, which is part of the frame.
2. On the inside of the door lever, there should be a button that can be pressed. Press the button, and this could then engage the lock, much like what many of us use in bedrooms.
3. With the lock now engaged with the press of a button, try to open the door. If the door lock has worked, then the door should not open until the button is pressed to disengage the lock.
4. Now, try pressing the button and make sure that it then unlocks. An incorrectly installed locking door lever might lock but then fail to unlock, so try out both mechanisms first.

Lever Locks: The Safer, Simpler Solution For The Elderly

We understand how challenging it can be to get an elderly family member or friend to accept change. They have spent so many years living life as they see fit; why should they need to change now?

Sadly, change becomes inevitable as we age. We have to adapt to our new physical situation, meaning that a loss of accessibility or mobility becomes a genuine issue. By installing a locking door lever, you make it much easier to ensure that doors remain easy to open, close, lock and unlock for an elderly person who might need a helping hand.

With a simple locking mechanism, such as a button or even a small key slot, a locking door lever makes it much easier to ensure that elderly residents remain safe in their homes without worrying about doors being left unlocked and/or residents wandering off.