If you want the short list, these are my top safety gate picks for dementia patients, and you’ll find the details on each one further down.

When someone you love has dementia, the stairs can quickly become one of the riskiest spots in the house. A fall can mean broken bones or a concussion.

A safety gate keeps a doorway or stairway closed off without locking anyone in a room.

This article covers where gates help most and what to weigh before you choose one.

What Should You Look For When Shopping For Safety Gates For Adults?

Safety gates for dementia patients help caregivers restrict the patient’s movement, all for the safety of the patient. However, you cannot use the regular safety gates for kids and pets as they might not meet your needs. So, what should you look for in a safety gate for dementia patients:

High-Safety Standards

The safety gate should have high safety standards for everyone around the house. The last thing you want to do is to create a hazardous environment in your house by installing a safety gate. Choose appropriate materials that will be safe to install in your house.

Robust Build

The frame and vertical slates should be strong enough to withstand the strength of a grown person. Flimsily built safety gates are susceptible to forced entry. You need a robust safety gate. In the same vein, avoid pressure-mounted gates.

Creating holes by screwing the gate frame to the wall might seem too huge of a hassle to go through, but it offers a more secure attachment of the gate in place.

Difficult To Deactivate For The Patient

While not all patients will have the strength to force open the gate, many will try and open the gate. With this in mind, you should choose a gate that is difficult for the patients to deactivate easily.

The gate’s lock should force the patient to give up opening the gate and stay put where they are, waiting for caregivers to help them navigate hazardous environments.

Aesthetics

You should also think about the aesthetics of the gate. Given that it might stay in place for a long time, you might as well choose a safety gate that matches your décor.

The Best Safety Gates For Patients With Moderate To Severe Dementia

Toddleroo Supergate Ergo Baby Gate

The Toddleroo by North States Supergate Ergo is a plastic gate that fits openings from 26 to 42 inches wide. It stands 26 inches tall and comes in a sand color. It is made in the USA.

It can be installed two ways. Pressure-mounted is the quicker setup for a doorway or hallway. Hardware-mounted lets the gate swing open, and it is required if the gate goes at the top of a staircase. The hardware is included.

The handle is an easy-press design that opens and locks in seconds, even with one hand. That helps when you are carrying laundry or holding onto a loved one with the other.

The trade-off is that this is a baby gate, made to be difficult for small children to climb. At 26 inches tall, it is a low barrier. Someone with dementia who is determined, or who is steady enough to step over it, may get past it. It suits early stages, or as a simple reminder barrier for a kitchen or bathroom. It is not the right pick if wandering is a serious concern.

If you do need to keep someone from reaching an exit, a gate works best alongside other measures. I cover those in this guide to door security for dementia patients.

Regalo Safety Hardware-Mounted Baby Gate

The Regalo Safety Extra Wide Baby Gate is made for the top of a staircase as well as doorways and hallways. It fits openings of roughly 28 to 43.5 inches, depending on your walls, baseboards, banisters and the hardware you use.

It is hardware mounted, so it gets screwed in place with the included hardware. For the top of stairs, the gate should swing away from the stairs, never out over them. That matters a great deal for someone with dementia who may not stop to think before stepping forward.

• Height – The gate stands 30.5 inches tall. That is a solid barrier for walking, though a person who is determined and still agile may be able to climb or step over it. If that describes your loved one, a taller gate may suit better.
• Installation – Included adapters fit square banisters from 2 to 4 inches and round banisters from 3 to 5 inches across. That allows several setups, such as wall to wall or wall to banister. Measure your opening and check what you are mounting to before you order.
• Who it is not for – If you want a gate you can move from room to room without tools, hardware mounting means drilling and a more permanent install. Some people will find that a fair trade for a gate that stays put at the stairs.

Regalo Safety Pressure-Mounted Baby Gate

This Regalo gate is made for wide openings. It adjusts to fit spaces from 29 to 56 inches wide and stands 30 inches tall, so it suits hallways, doorways, and the bottom of a staircase.

For someone with dementia, a gate like this works best as a gentle boundary. It keeps a wandering loved one out of rooms or areas that are not safe, such as a basement, a kitchen, or a utility room.

• Wide Range Of Fits – It fits openings from 29 to 56 inches with the right extensions: 4, 8, and 12 inch pieces, used alone or together. Measure your opening first. A few widths do not work at all: 32 to 34, 39 to 41.5, 44.5 to 46.5, and 52 to 53.5 inches.
• Pressure Mount With A Door – It holds in place with pressure rather than screws, and it has a walk-through door. That means a caregiver can pass through without climbing over it. The wall cups must be used, and you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing it.
• Certified By The Baby Safety Alliance – It is a family-owned, US-based brand that has made baby gates for over 30 years.

Now the downside. This is a baby gate, and pressure mounting is not the strongest hold. Do not put it at the top of a staircase. It is also not right for someone who pushes or leans on barriers hard, because a determined person could move it. In that case, a gate that screws into the wall is the safer choice.

Safety 1st Walk Thru Baby Gate

The Safety 1st Easy Install Walk Thru Gate is another option for keeping someone with dementia out of a room or away from a hazard. It fits openings from 29″ to 38″ wide and stands 28″ tall.

• Red-to-green indicator – A SecureTech indicator on the top rail turns green when the gate is locked. A quick glance tells you whether it latched, which helps when you are juggling other things.
• One-hand opening – You can open it with one hand, so carrying laundry or a tray is not a problem. The handle takes two separate actions to unlock, which can make it harder for someone with dementia to open on their own.
• No tools to install – It mounts by pressure and comes with four wall cups. The wall cups must be used to keep the gate in place.

One firm warning: do not use this gate at the top of stairs in its pressure-mounted form. It is not made to prevent falls there.

It is also only 28″ tall, so a person who is determined and steady on their feet may be able to climb or step over it. It suits doorways and room dividers better than a serious stair barrier.

Ingenuity Stairway Baby Gate

At 32” tall, and with the ability to install in openings between 30” and 48” wide, you can use the Summer Deluxe Stairway Wood Gate anywhere you want to prevent your patient from accessing it. The safety gate is also easy to install, for caregivers looking for a DIY install.

Features:

• Swing Stop Mechanism – The swing stop mechanism prevents the safety from opening, reducing the chances of the patients opening the gate and accessing hazardous areas.
• Aesthetically Pleasing – Made of solid wood with an antique oak finish, the safety gate will not look out of place in most homes.

Final Word

When taking care of a dementia patient, you must be cognizant of every aspect of their safety. You should not leave them to devices and hope for the best. This is especially with regards to roaming around the house.

While you might want to give them the freedom they have grown accustomed to, safety considerations dictate that you restrict their movement, protecting them from certain areas that increase the risk of personal harm.

As such, part of improving residential safety for dementia patients, you should consider increasing installing safety gates. A choice from one of the above safety gates will suffice to meet your needs.