Switching off plugs

SparklinDiamond

Registered User
Jul 16, 2014
2
0
My grandad has dementia, and currently lives on his own in a flat, he is still very much aware and refuses to move anywhere else and has got extremely mad over us suggesting it. He is capable to some extent of living on his own and his partner who lives not too far from him sees him on a daily basis. However, he has 5 tablets to take in the morning and a simple phonecall will get him to do so. Recently he has been switching off or unplugging his phone so nobody can get in contact with him, which is really worrying. I live about an hours walk from him and his partner has recently had a stroke so it's not easy for her to get there either now. He also switches off his freezer and fridge so all the food is going off. We have tried sellotaping over the switches, writing large signs saying do not switch off or unplug. Nothing works! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also, he always puts the sneck on the back of the door which covers over the keyhole or puts on the door latch so we quite often can't get into the house either while he's not answering the phone. We live in the uk.
 

WILLIAMR

Account Closed
Apr 12, 2014
1,078
0
My grandad has dementia, and currently lives on his own in a flat, he is still very much aware and refuses to move anywhere else and has got extremely mad over us suggesting it. He is capable to some extent of living on his own and his partner who lives not too far from him sees him on a daily basis. However, he has 5 tablets to take in the morning and a simple phonecall will get him to do so. Recently he has been switching off or unplugging his phone so nobody can get in contact with him, which is really worrying. I live about an hours walk from him and his partner has recently had a stroke so it's not easy for her to get there either now. He also switches off his freezer and fridge so all the food is going off. We have tried sellotaping over the switches, writing large signs saying do not switch off or unplug. Nothing works! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also, he always puts the sneck on the back of the door which covers over the keyhole or puts on the door latch so we quite often can't get into the house either while he's not answering the phone. We live in the uk.

I do know somebody who wired the phone directly in to the BT wire but I am not sure if this officially allowed.
May be worth having a word with his provider. I feel sure there will be a charge.

William
 

FifiMo

Registered User
Feb 10, 2010
4,703
0
Wiltshire
Another thing you could consider is to get a Telecare phone installed. This is hard wired into the wall and if the electric plug is removed or there is a powercut they immediately get on the intercom thing to make sure everything is ok. In addition to the pendant that can be used if he has a fall or an emergency, they can also nowadays monitor all sorts of things that might give you some peace of mind - eg him leaving the house after a certain time at night, smoke detectors etc. It only costs about £9 a month but worth every penny in my view. If you are interested then we got my mum's one via her local council but the company have a website too I think.

As to the electric sockets then then locks are ideal for this.

Fiona
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
mum did the same thing for a while, when asked why, No.1 dangerous to keep plugs in over night. No. 2 keeping out draughts. Very common in our house when I was a child. Unplugging we stopped for a while by putting big pieces of furniture in front., but it was always on mums mind to do it. We also bought a small freezer and hid it in the garage, and always made sure that the fridge wasn't full. We'd worked out that nothing could stop mum doing these things, just time. others on this forum may have better, more successful ideas. When mum was living on her own and doing what we thought were odd things, I didn't know about this site, didn't even consider it might be dementia.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Another thing you could consider is to get a Telecare phone installed. This is hard wired into the wall and if the electric plug is removed or there is a powercut they immediately get on the intercom thing to make sure everything is ok. In addition to the pendant that can be used if he has a fall or an emergency, they can also nowadays monitor all sorts of things that might give you some peace of mind - eg him leaving the house after a certain time at night, smoke detectors etc. It only costs about £9 a month but worth every penny in my view. If you are interested then we got my mum's one via her local council but the company have a website too I think.

As to the electric sockets then then locks are ideal for this.

Fiona
Wow, you really are a fountain of knowledge, Fiona. Have you got any suggestions for peeps switching their mobile phones off inadvertently and thus not being able to be reached?
 

carpe diem

Registered User
Nov 16, 2011
433
0
Bristol
Hi, we have had similar problems.
We use the child proof socket covers as suggested above and cover any stand by lights with black insulation tape so that the appliance looks like it's off.
A "thumb turn lock" can also be used so that access is always possible from outside but it is not possible to get locked out accidently. I think they can be fitted only to UPVC doors and come in 2 different sizes.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ERA-6-Pin-P...id=1405507322&sr=8-1&keywords=thumb+turn+lock
We have a corded phone which doen't require a plug only the phone wire to the phone socket it has no lights or digital screen. Use old fashioned simple basic things which don't look like they are on.
On the whole it is a life saving habbit to turn off all plugs and sockets, but it is difficult when it's the freezer and the phone. I've found the oven turned off several times whilst I'm cooking dinner but I know the likely hood of a fire is reduced, so it's a good thing.
 

FifiMo

Registered User
Feb 10, 2010
4,703
0
Wiltshire
LOL not if they're out and about - if they are at home with the telecare system you can call telecare and they would get on the intercom and tell them! I forgot to mention in the last post that this would also apply if you got there and couldn't get in the door - they would contact him and tell him to go let them in.

I sound like an advert for Telecare now but I have no connection with them. LOL

Fiona
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
"...I do know somebody who wired the phone directly in to the BT wire but I am not sure if this officially allowed..."

If the phone socket looks like the one shown below you can hardwire as shown.
The test socket is where ISPs will ask you to plug your router in as this isolate all the fixed wiring in the house.
 

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jugglingmum

Registered User
Jan 5, 2014
7,085
0
Chester
I know on my daughter's mobile if she sets the alarm to come on at a certain time, and the phone is off then it turns the phone on. I don't know if the phone then stays on and if you can set a 'silent' alarm. She has a smart phone, and I know her old mobile - not smart phone - didn't do this.

I have the same phone as her, but as I'm not a teenager, I have not got this far in its functionality. Someone else more technically minded may know if this would work.
 

WILLIAMR

Account Closed
Apr 12, 2014
1,078
0
If you go to your electrical shop they will have an item which allows you to hard wire the fridge in in place of the socket. We had this at our old house but we do not have this now.

With regard to taking plugs out at night an electrician by me says take plugs out if you are going away for a few days but if you do that every night you are more likely to get problems with worn sockets.
Oddly at my old house it was re wired 10 years ago.
We had 1 socket which was used a lot for different appliances and I replaced it twice since the house had been rewired.
I was able to live with that.

William
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
1,366
0
Lancashire
In regards to the sneck being put on the door lock, I'm guessing it is a yale type lock? If so we had to have MILs replaced on Monday & the locksmith got rid of the sneck bit so it is not there for her to use.
 

AngelRehana

New member
Jun 29, 2023
2
0
Hello Sparklindiamond welcome to talking point I wonder if these locking switch covers would be any use,


I am sure other people will be along with other ideas soon,


Best Wishes, Jeany
Thank you for this - super useful for my Nan who is struggling. Thank you for this thread :)