A Safer Sanctuary

Keeping vulnerable adults safe with an ID card program

• By Sharon Steinhoff-Smith
• May 01, 2008

Protecting the safety of vulnerable adults used to keep Lara Parsons awake at night. Not anymore. The introduction of a security system built around plastic photo ID cards now helps Parsons, director of development at Shoreham Village, get a better night’s sleep.

Shoreham Village is a small nursing home with 83 residents in Nova Scotia. Created to provide an environment that maximizes the quality of life for older persons in need or at risk, the facility sits on 14 acres in a beautiful, quiet setting. The campus offers several living options in addition to the nursing home, including an independent living seniors’ apartment complex, with assisted-living suites and apartments.

A Prime Target
“Nursing homes are open to many people every day,” Parsons said. “We keep drugs and needles on the premises, and we have been the target for criminals and for people selling junk out of the trunks of their cars.”

Because Shoreham Village is in a rural setting, Parsons believes the management would wait a long time for police to arrive, if needed. She is much more content to secure the building and increase the staff ’s comfort level.

“A year ago, we started the process of designing and implementing an ID card-based system that would enhance our nursing home’s security,” Parsons said. “We researched many products and companies before deciding upon a Fargo DTC400 Direct-to-Card printer/encoder to print the photo ID cards.

“The printing system, consisting of a printer, camera and software, needed to be easy to use because we wanted to let different managers have access to it. Most have little or no education on computers.”

In addition, Parsons wanted a printer that could produce two-sided cards that would last and not fade. The proximity cards provide access when held close to card readers located at a door. People not authorized to enter do not have access.

Not only was Parsons concerned about the well-being of Shoreham Village residents, but she also was concerned about the safety of the 150 staff members. Approximately 99 percent of the staff is female, and because 24-hour care is provided, many begin or end their workday in the dark.

Before the ID card-activated access control system was put into place, employees who began work at 11 p.m. often would stand alone by the back door, waiting for someone to unlock the door and let them in. Not only was this dangerous for arriving employees, it also took inside staff away from patient care.

Parsons knew something had to be done. With the introduction of an ID card security program, the staff can now let themselves in.

“This was a big improvement,” she said. In the future, Parsons expects Shoreham Village will add more card readers because they are quicker and easier to use than keys.

“These ID cards look more professional than the old plastic pin-on name tags,” Parsons said. “When combined with the security system, they also create a more effective time and attendance system. Money has been saved in employee time—one of the most untraceable thefts there is. We can monitor employees who like to leave early or come in late. Staff previously did not even have a punch clock. We operated on the honor system.”

A Range of Uses
With the introduction of the access control system, Shoreham Village administrators can monitor who opens which doors and when. They even tracked down an internal theft thanks to the card system, which revealed that a certain person had been in the building at the time of a theft.

Parsons also noted that the new system has saved time previously wasted just looking for keys to certain doors. “The building is locked for 12 hours a day to prevent residents from hurting themselves,” she said, “although cards are given to people allowed in the building during those times, including physicians, pharmacists, palliative care volunteers and firefighters.”

It wasn’t long before Parsons found additional uses for the ID cards.

“In the beginning, we thought we would use the system for staff only,” she said. “When we looked at how many volunteers we have—currently 170—we decided the system would be appropriate for volunteers as well. It identifies them, tracks their time and attendance and, in the case of an emergency, lets us know who is inside the building.”

In addition, patients in the last stages of life often have families who want to visit their loved ones in the late hours of the night. With the ID card system, Shoreham Village is able to produce temporary badges for them. Approximately four times a year, nursing students come for hands-on education and are issued temporary cards.

“We also have found the ID card system useful for some of our residents who come and go from the nursing home frequently,” Parsons said. “And there are outside agencies that need to come to the nursing home after hours, as well as people who occasionally rent one of our outside buildings. We also are looking at using the system in some of the common areas of our apartments.”

Quality of Life
“Improving the quality of work life is an important issue these days,” Parsons said, “and security is part of that issue.”

But it’s the increased safety of the vulnerable adults in her care that keeps Parsons sleeping more soundly these days, and others are noticing her efforts. At an opening event for the Shoreham Village Seniors’ Complex, Gerald Keddy, member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margaret’s, said, “Your ongoing efforts are helping to ensure that our seniors will have safe and affordable places to call home. I applaud your efforts.”