Shutting the front door - product recommendations?

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

In a nutshell, very elderly relative lives alone and is slightly forgetful but not confused. We wish to keep her in her own home for as long as possible, and budget isn't an issue.

It's emerged that she has often been mostly but not completely shutting the front door. This has come to a head due to a burglary in the last few days, and now neighbours have said that they've seen the door ajar on multiple occasions (I'm also looking at CCTV to deter burglars, but that doesn't solve this issue!)

The front door is a beautiful, original, but heavy wooden front door; there's no way the rest of the family would let me change it (and it would be criminal to do so really). The lock is a simple Yale lock - slam it and it locks.

Spring-loaded automatic door closers would make it harder to open the front door, so that's not an option - she's very weak, and the likelihood is that if she sits in the garden she'll accidentally lock herself out.

Has anyone got any ideas for what we could do about this? Hoping the hivemind can help!

Could you replace the door with something lighter but keep it in storage so it can go back on in due course? It seems a shame for her to be at risk because it's a lovely old door.
If being locked out is a risk then consider a key safe as a belt and braces.
Good luck

If it's simply that she's forgetful (and it's not simply that it's too hard for her to push tight closed) then a movement detector attached to an automatic recording "remember to shut the door". You might be able to include a door-open detector (such as is used in burglar alarm systems) so she's reminded only as she moves away from the door having left it open (rather than being reminded every time so she starts to ignore it).

The technology exists - even our cat flap can tell whether the cat is going out or coming in - but it might be easier to find someone who could source the right bits and fit them together.

Our LA has a carer's support group who have a person whose job it is to keep up with the tech. Or there may be expertise attached to a local support for the aged group, or a local mobility.living aids shop, or a local burglar alarm company who also deal in general electrical stuff (and can therefore do bespoke work). Look on the Alzheimers site. Or if you feel brave you could source everything yourself using "smart" home devices - or you may be able to get something that does the job already - try googling "door open" alarm elderly.

Technology is amazing. When my husband put his car in to the garage for a service he had an alert to tell him that the car hadn’t been locked. I would try an electrician. Our local one has a show room and has so much knowledge about different types of security.
Also, if a smart phone can open curtains, could it be programmed to lock doors?
My elderly Mum’s door doesn’t always catch when she closes it but she has a second lockable door behind the front door, maybe this could be an option,

Have a look at the hive products, they have this type of thing. Or give your local council a phone, they will have a team called telecare or similar who have an amazing range of gizmos.