Any suggestions to keep senior safe when a stranger/bogus caller knocks on door?

My mom lives with me and will do the same thing...answer the door, answer the phone...I keep the doors locked at all times only unlocking them if I go outside to empty garbage or get the mail, etc. Mom, due to her dementia, has difficulty remembering how to unlock the doors on her own which I consider to be a good thing at this point because she too, will just open the door to whoever comes along. It is scary and that is one of the many reasons why she now lives with me. It is difficult to protect them from every possible problem scenario...but it's what we caregivers do!

I can't offer any good suggestions, but can add that my mom went further and further in the direction of opening her home. First she took down all the curtains. She lived in a wooded secluded area, so no one could really see in when they drove by, but they could see her lights. That concerned me tremendously, because she lived alone, but... she had NO fear! (could be she was also a bit careless, not smart... I don't want to say anything bad about her at this point).

Then she would also leave her doors unlocked. We constantly asked her to lock them. She didn't want to have to get up to unlock the doors for us when we arrived so she told us as soon as she knew we were coming she would unlock.

Sadly, she passed away in her sleep at the age of nearly 93. I asked her a few years ago, what would her greatest words of advice be to me. She thought for a few moments and told me never to worry. I said really? I could hardly believe that was it. She said... seriously, she worried a lot throughout her whole long life and everything turned out OK in the long run. So, she repeated, never worry.

Well, I still find it hard to believe and hard to do. I think we all need to be careful and smart about things. So, I applaud all of those who are still trying to protect your homes. Just wanted to share this one story of how my dear mom's mind worked in the end of her life.

She welcomed everyone and got very energetic when anyone came around to visit, she mostly loved chatting with handsome men...

Might it help to put a sign on the inside of the door (the part your mom sees) that says "do not open the door to anyone. Come and get me if there is a knock on door" ?

I thought I would add this not that it has happened to me, but obviously it has happened. I also checked this on snopes to make sure it was true.
Be aware of couriers at your door with a gift of flowers or wine with a need of collecting on a delivery charge having to use your credit card. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR CARD or YOUR PIN. They use a machine that keeps all your information and they will clean out your accounts. People think that the "gift" was something special just for them and they want to see who it's from. There is NO CARD information and that's why the courier needs your payment information. I'm sure this could easily happen to our loved ones especially if any courier scopes out any residence to see who lives there before they ring the bell. Hope this is helpful. New scams are developed every day. My mother recently invited someone in the house that was looking for a hand out. Luckily, I believe my big dog rushing him kept anything from happening...or maybe it really was someone looking for a little help. Be careful out there.

I forgot to add, I wonder if this problem is another dementia symptom? I guess that the fact my mother continues to open the door to strangers is because she simply can't remember my directive to her NOT to open the door. I get angry because I think she's just defying me (which she often does). It's really hellish living with an adult who has almost no short term memory. Unless you've lived like this, most people cannot understand how stressful and agonizing it is to live with an adult who cannot remember most of the simple rules for day to day living.

Good suggestions! I live with my mother and am her caregiver, so the fact she opens the door to anyone who knocks really frightens me. I have gone over and over with her that if someone knocks, she must not open the door. I've told her get me or, if I'm not around, to go into the dining room and look outside. If she does not know the person, I've told her to tell them she cannot open the door. This has not changed the fact that she continues to open the door whenever someone knocks.

I would add a lock at the top of the door they cannot open or possibly see such as a deadbolt that only a key holder can access

It's been my experience that people pay no attention to these signs, and if someone means harm, well that sign is meaningless. If you are expecting a delivery you can make arrangements.

As a delivery person I come across alot of doors that have the sign posted by them "ABSOLUTELY NO SOLICITORS" It always gets my attention and sometimes I need for that person to sign for the item and I hope and pray they don't shoot me when I ring the bell, just kidding about that part but I hope that helps!

This works for me because I live with my mother, it may not work for you if she lives alone. We have a lock that can be locked from the inside, it can be unlocked on the outside, but if a key remains in the inside door you can't get in unless the person inside removes the key. I just keep the door locked and keep the key on me while in the house, because if I am in the bathroom and someone knocks she will open the door wide to God knows what. I think that if someone wants to see us, they should call us first so we expect them, otherwise I don't open the door to anyone I am not expecting and she can't open it. Also, she just can't decide to take a walk by herself now. But if she lives alone, she probably couldn't figure out how to open the door if she really needed, and if she had the key in the door in the inside, the police or fire could not get in without breaking down the door.

I am constantly admonishing my mother to NOT open the door to strangers yet she repeatedly does! "I open the door just a little bit" as if that makes a hill of beans of a difference...