Memory Care Facility Access Control Guide for Best System

As a memory care facility manager, you prioritize delivering top-tier care for residents. One way you can do that is to ensure their safety — and make your staff more efficient — by investing in memory care facility access control.

In this post, we explain memory care facility access control and its benefits. Then, we help you choose the hospital and healthcare access control system that best fits your needs.

This post covers:

• What is memory care facility access control?
• Benefits of electronic access in a memory care facility
• The best memory care facility access control system

What is memory care facility access control?

Memory care facility access control is a way for staff and residents alike to manage access to different parts of a memory care facility.

Facility managers have to cater to a wide range of access needs. Staff members need access to storage closets and record-keeping areas patients shouldn’t have.

And among patients, you might have memory care patients with different needs and levels of required care. You might also want to keep track of patient locations to ensure their safety.

So, what is the key to safety in care facilities? Luckily, electronic access control can keep patients more comfortable and reduce administrative busywork for staff.

What is the difference between memory care and nursing home care?

A memory care facility provides more specialized care than a nursing home does. In some cases, nursing homes have a memory care unit to provide residents with the specialized, long-term care they require.

More importantly, memory care facilities are specifically for patients with neurodegenerative disorders like dementia. In contrast, nursing homes are set up for short or long-term care and might be able to provide more independence to patients who are unable to receive medical attention at home.

Benefits of electronic access in a memory care facility

Some of the benefits of upgrading your memory care facility’s access system include:

1. More sanitary, hands-free access
2. Using RFID-based technology to keep track of patients’ locations
3. Increased responsiveness with the help of security cameras

1. More sanitary, hands-free access

Like in hospitals or other caretaking facilities, it’s important to keep surfaces clean to reduce the chances of resident infections. One way to reduce the number of things you have to keep clean is to replace your standard brass keys with other credentials, like card or fob readers.

Fob access also comes with other benefits that increase senior living safety. If a staff member loses a card, you don’t have to worry about a patient accidentally finding that fob and using it to open a door — a concern where old-school brass keys are involved. Instead, you can deactivate it and issue a new one in just a few minutes.

Watch how ButterflyMX works:

2. Using RFID-based technology to keep track of patients’ locations

While you might find RFID or Bluetooth technology powering your staff’s key cards, that’s not the only benefit of wireless technology. By giving your patients wireless bracelets, you’ll always be able to locate them, no matter where they are in your facility.

Your memory care facility might include amenity spaces like:

• Art spaces
• Dining rooms
• Common areas
• Game rooms

When your facility provides so many services, keeping track of your patients is important — and RFID bracelets can help you do that.

3. Increased responsiveness with the help of security cameras

While you can depend on your staff members to provide excellent care, you can’t expect a staff member to be with every patient 24/7. You might depend on cameras in common rooms or shared amenity spaces to ensure patients can get what they need and are covered in emergencies.

In addition to taking care of your patients, you must consider physical security—like you would on any other property. You can also set up cameras in parking lots or rooftops in assisted living facilities to protect against intruders and vandals.

The best memory care facility access control system

The best nursing home access control system offers PIN code access, keys, fobs, or smartphone app-based access — and keeps your patients safe while simplifying your staff’s workload, no matter which way you choose.

A ButterflyMX assisted living security system comes with these benefits:

• Multiple ways to open the door. Depending on the needs of your property, we can mix and match different ways to gain entry. Choose between smart intercoms, keypads, card readers, and more.
• Third-party integrations. You can integrate your ButterflyMX access control system with various other security hardware, such as cameras and smart locks, and with numerous property management systems.
• Cloud-based infrastructure. Update the system and make changes from any phone or tablet, whether a staff member is on- or off-site. Plus, use ButterflyMX’s powerful dashboard as a central hub to see live camera feeds or review an audit trail of all door entry events.