I'm not sure how effective this method would be for your loved ones, but it has worked 2 nights in a row for me! I copied this idea from one of the nursing homes here...just string a tie or rope or something like that across the door of the bedroom. The ones in the 'homes' are attached magnetically, but mine is more secure. Last night I saw watched him fiddling with it for a long time before he gave up and went into the bathroom (off our bedroom) I figure it has saved me already lots of time mopping up urine in other parts of the house. At least if he goes in the bedroom, it'll be contained in this part of the house. (By the way, my barricade happens to be an old pair of bright yellow carpenter suspenders attached to a hook on both sides of the doorway.) Worth a try.

My father required more....I first tried a child proof gate...nope, he would push it out of the way. He would climb over it, he would go under it. Then I installed those closet rod holders with no open ends on it for all four of the tension rod gate parts to prevent him from leaning on it and pushign it out of the way...it worked except for climbing over it and under it like he was in a battle field going under barbed wire...even got a photo of him doing this cuz my sis didnt believe me. FUNNY!!! So @ night I would put one gate ontop of another to deter him from going into the other room. He would only have access to a bathroom right next to his room. Kids have bathroom upstairs, me...master bath. So perfect! Worked for some time until one day....while ONE side was open for him to wander around the house during the daytime...I heard something (I was in the kitchen)...I walk over there and he had one leg on each side of the TOP GATE...he had pushed his ROCKER RECLINER to the gate and climbed over it!!!! He is a little 82 year old, 5 foot monkey!!! I grabbed him and lifted him down. WOW...lucky he is light enough for me to lift...OUCH!!! Nurses call him a teddy bear!!! He is always calling them the pretty ladies or "Muchachitas". LOL!!!

CHILD PROOF locks were not for this NON CHILD!!! He breaks them! Zip ties for cupboards, magnetic locks for drawers, have been successes...so have the type of locks with a peg type system for sliding doors...and they have a KEYED LOCKING SYSTEM for nights. But how do you keep a toilet locked if he uses it? He would scrape off the insides of his depends and put it in the toilet amongst other things he could get his hands on...bottle tops, etc..Lots of rubber gloved hands going into that toilet to remove stuff I tell ya! thank god for plumbers. And how do you keep a monkey like him from wanting to climb the diagnal side of a stair case just so he can get to the stairs? Was he a monkey in his previous life...LOL!!! (I try to laugh at it).

Julie

Dear Julie: Oh my goodness!!! It is wonderful you have such a terrific sense of humor. But what a challenge!

I guess if nothing else, you have found the perfect approach to "activities" to stimulate his mind and body; but, oh my.

Thanks for the heads up on zip ties and peg locks.

Let us know how things are going. Keep your chin up and your spirit as glowing as it is now.

Hugs,
Johanna C.
(From Ishpeming, in the UP)

Hi
Maybe try placing a bedpan or hat under the toilet seat so he can "go" in that at nite. You can also get a baby lock for the seat so he cant lift it and remove the penpan or toilet hat. The depends and other assorted presents wont be flushed that way. Even if he staands to urinate, it will still go into the pan, and if he wants to flush, he can flush the clean toilet water. Hopefully he wont notice the "deception'. Good luck

Helen