Jos,

Try something like this in a timer's timer event.

* Timer event
IF USED("MyTable")
   LOCAL lcAlias
   lcAlias = ALIAS()
   SELECT MyTable
   IF RLOCK()
      UNLOCK
   ENDIF
   IF NOT EMPTY(lcAlias)
      SELECT (lcAlias)
   ELSE
      SELECT 0
   ENDIF
ENDIF
RETURN

Obtaining a lock on a record causes VFP to refresh it's buffers.