Retirement Community Security: PDK Access Control for the Forest at Duke
- ProdataKey
- Aug 18
- 6 min read
The Forest at Duke is a prestigious continuing care retirement community located in Durham, North Carolina, with a mission to provide a caring, responsible community and enhance the lives of its residents.
Established in 1994, this community offers a range of living and care options for seniors aged 55 and older, including independent living, skilled nursing, assisted living, dementia care, and memory support units. Understanding the importance of the safety and security of its residents and staff, the Forest at Duke partnered with Modern Systems inc. to install a comprehensive ProdataKey (PDK) cloud access control system.
The Forest at Duke Retirement Community
The Forest at Duke is an exceptional retirement community located near Duke University’s campus in Durham, North Carolina, that attracts residents from all walks of life. Since its inception, the organization has collaborated with Duke’s Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke alumni, and local and nationwide retirees to create an unparalleled experience for residents, improving their ability to lead purposeful, healthy lives. For The Forest at Duke, security and peace of mind are the top priorities.
“We want to put everyone in a situation where they can be at peace here, where they can be secure.”
Charles Hudgens - Security and Transportation Manager at the Forest at Duke.
The campus is often compared to a luxury resort, spanning 50 acres and currently housing approximately 350 residents. The organization also staffs over 275 employees, ranging from registered nurses and an entire culinary team to landscaping and human resources, who all work on-site.
The Forest at Duke comprises various buildings, including the Community Center, which has 150 apartments, 80 individual cottages, and a state-of-the-art healthcare center. In 2025, there will be a new 71-residence expansion called The Terraces, bringing the resident count to about 425. Securing such an expansive property required a reliable and robust access control solution.
Security Challenges with Outdated Access Control Systems
Before finally installing a ProdataKey cloud-based system, the Forest at Duke had previously relied on mechanical keys and an outdated access control system. This setup created security and operational challenges. For one, mechanical keys that could be easily lost or duplicated are difficult to keep track of, especially for such a large property with many different access points.
Secondly, managing access for various staff and new or existing residents required a more flexible solution than traditional keys or an on-premise system.
“We were exploring using new technology that was much more fluid than the old-style locks and keys that can end up in anyone’s hands,”
Nathan Summers - Director of Community at the Forest at Duke
Lastly, ensuring compliance with health and safety protocols, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, demanded a system that could reliably track access and integrate seamlessly with health screening measures.
The Switch to ProdataKey Cloud Access
The Forest at Duke began discussions with Modern Systems inc., a local full-systems integrator, to overhaul their security infrastructure. With its cloud-based features and high-security capabilities, David Hudson, Modern Systems Strategic Account Manager, recommended PDK, knowing it would provide everything they sought in an access control system. “One of the most important things about PDK is that it’s cloud-based. It provides a really great user experience,” explained David.
By early 2019, the Modern Systems team began the PDK installation for the Forest at Duke, initially starting with 30 doors. The project concluded just as the COVID-19 pandemic began, ultimately expanding to cover 160 doors with plans for an additional 100 doors in the new building. ProdataKey secures access to various parts of the campus, including individual residence doors, elevators, gates at the exterior entrances, offices, and the health care center. For the gate control, which is far removed from the main buildings, the system leverages Sure-Fi wireless technology to extend the reach of Wiegand signals to the reader.
Aperio Wireless Locksets Integration
A vital component of the installation at the Forest at Duke is the integration of PDK and Aperio wireless locksets. The integration allows users to configure and manage all Aperio devices through PDK.io or the PDK Access app while avoiding costly wire runs. Currently, the property has Aperio locksets on the security office and a handful of other doors, but they will be installed for 72 of the resident doors in the new Terraces expansion. This powerful integration will significantly ease the installation process and allow the system to grow effortlessly with the property’s needs.
Remote Access Management
For the Forest at Duke, the ability to manage the system remotely was crucial. The Security and Transportation Manager, Charles Hudgens, highlighted how PDK’s mobile management capabilities allow their teams to adjust the system from anywhere. “We don’t have sedentary positions. We’re often moving around a lot throughout the day, so having the ability to use it on our mobile devices is ideal,” he explained. The administrative team can add or revoke access, create groups, and make any other necessary changes, whether on-site or not. These capabilities have been beneficial as the Forest at Duke installs new doors in different areas of the property.
From the integrator’s perspective, PDK allows them to troubleshoot and manage their customers’ systems anytime, anywhere, with the PDK Access App. “I’m adamant to take care of my customers, just as they are adamant to take care of their residents. So that’s huge to be able to have the app right there at my fingertips,” said David from Modern Systems. Integrators can view the detailed status of systems, including sync status and battery health, and make changes without having to roll a truck on-site.
Defining Access Levels for Residents and Staff
The Forest at Duke uses ProdataKey’s Group rules to specify different access levels for various staff and residents. “We have established groups for different staff departments, a secondary group for residents, and a group for assisted living residents. Then, we even have subsections of those groups with varying degrees of access,” Charles explained. Every new resident is presented with either a ProdataKey high-security fob or keycard credential already programmed and assigned to them. Based on where they are moving into determines what group they fall under. Different user groups effectively keep residents safe and secure, ensuring they can only enter certain areas. For example, some resident groups don’t have permission to access stairwells to prevent injuries.
Managing access for different staff works in the same way. The Forest at Duke is responsible for keeping residents safe, protecting private information, and securing various narcotics and medical supplies stored in the Health Center. Using Groups ensures that staff only have access to areas that are relevant to their role. For example, someone who works in the Payroll department has no reason to have access to patient rooms or medical supply closets. PDK makes it easy to manage all the various users at the Forest at Duke, a stark contrast from their previous mechanical key system.
PDK and Savance Integration
Retirement communities were one of the populations most affected and vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. PDK has an Open API, so during this time, the Forest at Duke was able to integrate their access system with Savance health screening kiosks, giving them an efficient way to enforce critical health protocols. Previously, they used a simple paper process that required countless man-hours, but the integration automated the process, saving valuable time and costs.
The PDK access control system and Savance kiosk work together seamlessly, controlling door access based on screening results. The Forest at Duke no longer had to staff someone to ensure visitors and staff were following the protocol at the front entrance. If someone doesn’t go through the screening, they can’t get through the door. This automated process prevents potential contaminations and safeguards vulnerable residents.
Tracking Access with ProdataKey Reporting
ProdataKey provides robust reporting capabilities, which are essential for improving security and ensuring compliance with health and safety protocols at the Forest at Duke. Charles explained, “PDK has given us the ability to track movement throughout our buildings… It gives us one extra tool to keep people safe across a 50-acre campus.” Reporting is invaluable for both everyday management and in response to any kind of security incident, providing detailed access logs that can be filtered by people, events, and credential type. Management or law enforcement can use these reports to aid investigations and confirm adherence to critical safety protocols.
To conclude, the PDK installation at the Forest at Duke has proved to be a reliable solution, revamping its security infrastructure and streamlining operations. “PDK does really well in making us feel comfortable that it’s going to work the way it’s supposed. It has not failed me in any way since the installation. The technology and everything is pretty bulletproof,” said Charles. Under the expertise of Modern Systems, PDK not only addressed the immediate security and health challenges but also provided a future-proof solution ready to evolve with the community’s needs.
If you want to learn more about how ProdataKey could benefit your business, schedule a demo today.
ProdataKey is a team of security integrators with decades of hands-on, in-the-field experience.
PDK believes that the best technology is created by professionals who know what it takes to secure a facility properly and provide the end user with a solution that instills confidence and safety.
PDK is passionate about creating technology to enhance the security, safety, and overall experience of both the professionals installing electronic access control and those that live with and use the system. PDK continues to create technology every day to enhance its products and the products of its technology partners.
