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By Harriette Halepis

Across the globe, thousands of elderly people are being tracked on a daily basis thanks to GPS tracking devices. These devices help concerned caregivers keep tabs on their loved ones at all times. Up until this point, a GPS tracking device had to be placed inside of a backpack or inside of a pocket in order to track an elderly person.

The problem was that these devices could be easily removed resulting in zero tracking abilities. One company is about to change the way that elderly people are tracked by marketing a GPS shoe that has been built strictly with elderly folks in mind.

The GTX Corp Shoe

GTX Corp is already well-versed in GPS technology, since this company presently creates various forms of GPS tracking and location devices that are used all over the globe. Recently GTX has taken on a new partner, Aetrex Worldwide, in the crafting of specialized GPS shoes for elderly patients.

Specifically, the new shoes will be used to track those elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease. Often, Alzheimer’s patients will attempt to remove any unfamiliar object (such as a backpack), so a shoe that incorporates a GPS device seems like an ideal solution to Alzheimer wandering.

How it Works

Caretakers of Alzheimer’s patients can track every move by creating a virtual fence around a home or specific neighbourhood. If an elderly person crosses the “fence,” a Google Map alert will be sent to a home computer, office computer, or cell phone.

“The idea behind the shoe is to help authorized family members, friends, or caretakers (to) reduce their stress and anguish by enabling them to locate their loves ones instantly with the click of a mouse” says GTX Corp. CFO, Chris Walsh.

Great Hopes

Nearly sixty percent of Alzheimer’s patients wind up involved in critical “wandering” accidents. Often, these accidents are of the fatal sort. GTX hopes that its new line of shoes will prevent these incidents from occurring in the future.

While the GTX shoe is not on the market quiet yet, the shoe is rapidly being developed. GTX plans on testing their new shoe within the fourth quarter of this year, which means that consumers can look for the shoe within the next couple of years.

Will the GTX shoe prevent Alzheimer’s patients from wandering? Does this shoe bring optimism to anxious caregivers? While only time will tell, GTX certainly has high hopes that the lives of Alzheimer’s patients (and their caretakers) will soon change forever.