By Kema Rajandran, ASM.
The homes of the disabled present unique challenges when it comes to security. The sheer volume of care providers, staffing and other visitors rivals any large office environment.
Whether the need is to restrict access to authorised personnel-only areas or protect personal and private patient information, security within the confines of a health care-related setting, is multi-faceted.
Knowledge of current and future physical and logical access needs, coupled with an understanding of the standards and regulations facing today’s disabled people are important factors that often get overlooked.
Shelley Elder, CEO of Axeze, a developer, provider, distributor and integrator of multiple identification systems, biometric devices, RFID and blue tooth products, shares her thoughts and knowledge with us about this ever changing industry.
Axeze was developed and launched during the 1990’s by Ms Elder and her husband who together identified a need for hands free entry into properties specifically for the aged and disabled.
“My experience in the aged care industry showed me just how vulnerable the aged are. I see my mother becoming more forgetful. An older person can no longer run fast, nor fight hard. Disabled people have similar issues but greater challenges to face.”
“I watched a person with Parkinsons disease try to get into their house using a key, almost impossible.”
“We developed a retirement village and built in ramps rather than steps to make life easier for the elderly, but our client with macular degeneration struggled to stand still on a small ramp whilst he tried to insert his key into the lock and hold onto his wife’s wheel chair.”
“I observed elderly people get distracted whilst smart alecs rang their front door bell, having observed their hand bags, and had their mates run around the back to gain entry and steal the bag.”
While her own personal experiences and observations drove her to develop this product she paved the way through a combination of her own “stupidity, love of technology, a need for challenge, an ever restless nature, loads of energy, drive and ambition, always looking for more and dreaming of success and a supportive husband.”
About 12 years ago Axeze launched the KES, a stand alone unit that enables up to 1000 people access through a single access point using a transponder (card or keyring tag).
“Security on a technology side is significantly different to hands on. It’s a bit like having a person stand at the door and mark the time you arrived, or using an old clock on system,” Ms Elder explains.
“Everything manual takes time, but we still need the corporate hands on security. They are complimentary to each other. In your own job, once upon a time you would have had a secretary, perhaps two, now you type it all yourself. You used to post the letters, now you PDF and email them.”
Technology has changed not only how things are done, or how much information is available, it is continuously changing our lives everyday.
“The biggest change in technology over the past few years has been everything going to TCP/ IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), the Cloud, speed and the need for a combined solution.”
“We were quite unique when we designed our original access control product. We were not out of the industry so we designed a product that was a multi drop network, each controller had its own unique ID so we were already indirectly able to communicate through TCP/IP.”
“Back then, most installers did not carry computers so we were given a hard time because our system needed a computer, these days just about everyone uses a computer.”
The product Axeze designed enabled the user to carry just one card or tag to any site as opposed to carrying one for each site.
Integrating with lighting management systems was a new thing and while it can be said to be expensive for some, there are some who are starting to look at the longer term benefits.
“Things are being sold on the basis of “will pay for itself over X period” and this is slowly becoming accepted. We are amongst those who have invested in the solar panels, which will pay for themselves in a few years, perhaps faster.”
With all the developments in technology almost on a daily basis, people seek more information and convenience. “When the children misbehave, my son takes them out of his system at home. That way they have to get his attention to get in the door and they know they are in trouble..”
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