By Greg Bartlett
Do you have a relative, friend, or loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s? You’re not the only one who worries about the location of the Alzheimer’s patient – about 26 million people today have Alzheimer’s. According to one expert, about 60% of Alzheimer’s patients wander off and get lost at least once, and if not located within approximately 24 hours, nearly half of them could die since they rarely ask for or accept assistance or directions.
An Alzheimer’s patient becoming lost is frightening for both the family and the patient, and many caregivers are seeking ways to protect the patient from getting lost.
Concerned caregivers have tried different ways of tracking Alzheimer’s patients. One popular way is with GPS tracking devices, often some form of bracelet or ankle device.
These, however, can be uncomfortable and awkward. So researchers recently came up with a new option – GPS tracking enabled shoes.
With GPS tracking devices unobtrusively hidden inside shoes, Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers can have greater peace of mind.
Medical personnel and researchers claim that Alzheimer’s patients are unlikely to forget to put on their shoes, and once they have them on, the caregiver can track every movement. If the patient does wander off and become lost, the tracking devices can lead the caregiver within 30 feet of the patient very quickly, speeding up rescue efforts.
With the shoes and GPS tracking, many families may be able to keep their loved ones at home instead of putting them in a nursing home or assisted living facility. The fear of the Alzheimer’s patient wandering off, getting lost, and possibly dying can be eliminated and the family reassured that they can safely take care of the patient.
The shoes also allow the caregiver to be alerted if the patient wanders outside predetermined boundaries, even sending the caregiver a map with the patient’s location and directions to reach the patient if the boundaries are crossed.
With the increased ability to locate and rescue wandering Alzheimer’s patients, one researcher believes the GPS tracking devices in shoes have potential to save billions of government dollars in search and rescue efforts. Even more importantly, he believes the shoes will save lives.
If your loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s, give both yourself and the patient peace of mind. Tracking patients can eliminate the stress and worry of patients becoming lost and can even save their lives. All it takes is a pair of shoes with GPS tracking devices.
