Turning Safety Into an Amenity
By Paul Bartlett, vice president, St. John’s Senior Housing
The Meadows-Brickstone
Community of St.
John’s in Rochester, is
a 442-unit market-rate
senior retirement
community. Embracing
the new urbanism
lifestyle encourages
the integration of the
resident community and
the local neighboring
community. However,
with the community’s
open door policy there
is an inherent security
risk that people with
criminal intentions could
enter the community and
present a hazard to the
residents. To minimize
this risk and potential harm to our residents
the following precautions have been
implemented at the community.
Each main entrance of the MeadowsBrickstone community is staffed by a
concierge who monitors the traffic entering
and exiting the buildings. Each entryway
has an exterior door and a locked interior
door. Individuals not living at the community
wishing to enter must be “buzzed” in by
the concierge or enter the appropriate
number of the apartment they prefer to visit
on the key pad located in the vestibule. In
addition to the concierge presence at the
entry ways, each location is monitored by a
security camera which is viewed by security
personal. A sign-in sheet is offered at the
concierge desk for all visiting aides
and guests to log in and out as they
enter and exit the community.
As a final precautionary
measure, located under
each desk is a button
which, when
pressed, alerts
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security should the concierge discover that
the person entering the building poses a
potential threat. Upon pressing the button,
security personal are alerted to the precise
location and respond accordingly.
These precautionary measures are
implemented in a way that people entering
the community do not feel unwelcome as the
staff are trained to be engaging and respectful
upon greeting each guest and resident. These
precautions have been effective and offer the
community residents an assurance of safety
and security.
Peace of Mind
To ensure peace of mind while living
at the Meadows, a personal emergency
response system is included in every
cottage and apartment. St. John’s Meadows
security staff are on duty 24 hours a day.
Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Fall 2016