Rocky Mountain Tracking » Family and personal relationships

Breadcrumb GPS Tracking Designed for Alzheimer’s Patients and Caretakers

Marisa O'Connor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:00:36 +0000

GPS tracking technology has revolutionized several industries by allowing users to remotely track the location of valuable property. Missing smartphones and vehicles can be tracked from anywhere with internet access. Remote species of birds and solitary wildlife can be studied from a safe, unimposing distance. One of the more recent uses for GPS tracking has been developed for the wandering elderly population suffering from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The technology has already been used to track autistic children, who are also at high risk of wandering off and getting lost.

There are few things more stressful for caregivers, family and friends, than when a loved one goes missing. Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease often cause the sufferer to be confused and wonder off, sometimes searching for a childhood home. It is scary enough getting lost as an independent, capable adult, but when it happens to young children, the elderly or disabled people, it can be life threatening. The earlier the person is located, the better his or her chances of returning home safely. There is no way to guarantee that your loved one won’t wander off, but with GPS tracking, he or she can be found quickly and easily.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) and Breadcrumb L.L.C. announced earlier this month, that they have developed a GPS device and monitoring system for elderly patients and their caregivers. The GPS tracking device is called the BC300, and though it is not the first tracking devices designed for Alzheimer’s patients, it is the first to be offered through QVC, a leading multimedia retailer. The device comes with a charging station, adapter, rechargeable batteries, USB cable, attachment bands and instructional DVD. In addition to QVC’s online store, the tracking system will also be available at alzfdn.org (AFA’s online store) and breadcrumbgps.com (Breadcrumb’s store).

AmberAlert.com: Bought by Amber Alert GPS

Khristen Foss — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:00:15 +0000

The company that introduced the Amber Alert GPS V3 to the market, designed to keep children safe by allowing their parents to track them, recently acquired AmberAlert.com. AmberAlert.com is a website that makes it easy for authorities of one city to alert authorities nationwide in the event of a missing child. “By adding the capabilities of AmberAlert.com to the Amber Alert GPS family, we now address the needs of law enforcement and parents,” said Carol Colombo, CEO of Amber Alert GPS.

The company has also recently made an agreement with AT&T, who is providing the connectivity for the V3 GPS tracking units. The V3 is said to be among the smallest devices currently offered to consumers, and is touted for how easy it is for any parent to use, and how secure the information gathered by this device is. The company believes that this acquisition will help them surge ahead in the arena of child safety and parent peace of mind.

“The company is honored to provide this essential service to participating states free of charge,” Columbo said. “Our stewardship of this service is consistent with our company’s commitment to child safety and security.”

Harlan Lyons, former AmberAlert.com CEO agrees that GPS tracking is the right move for all parties involved. “The goal of AmberAlert.com was to develop and refine the LEAP (Law Enforcement Alerting Portal) technology along with My Child ID and turn them over to a company that shared our commitment to helping save children’s lives …We are confident that Amber Alert GPS will take our vision to even greater heights and continue to serve the AMBER Alert Program and families everywhere.” Creators and developers of AmberAlert.com have moved to Amber Alert GPS tracking as part of the deal to assure that the transition goes smoothly.

Amber Alert GPS , founded in 2007 by Russ Thornton, began after his son disappeared for 45 minutes at a local amusement park. The panic he felt during those 45 minutes led him to develop the technology in the hopes that this terrifying situation didn’t happen to other parents. If it did, he wanted to ensure the parent had the upper hand in getting their child returned home safe and sound. With both AmberAlert.com and their agreement with AT&T, it appears they are on the right track to just about guarantee it.

GPS Gives Alzheimer’s Caregivers Peace of Mind

Nichole Decoust — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:41:08 +0000

For those caring for Alzheimer’s patients, losing a loved one due to wandering is a top fear. Now, GPS tracking can help put their minds at ease. Wandering is one of the most common symptoms for the estimated 5.3 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease; a fact that always has caregivers and loved ones on their toes, ever vigilant for that unforeseen moment. But the stress can be overwhelming.

Now, instead of alarming moments of panic and frantic calls to the police, caregivers can know where loved ones are at all times, thanks to an application of GPS tracking from George Mason University. Understanding the constant worry associated with wandering in Alzheimer’s patients, Andrew Carle, executive in residence of senior housing at George Mason, came up with the idea of GPS tracking devices in shoes. He found a likely partner for his idea in a California company already putting GPS tracking in shoes. Together, they designed a shoe perfect for the elderly that contains a GPS device.

Searching for a way to keep the device on patients, Carle figured shoes were a pretty good option. Caregivers, who often fear even stepping into to the bathroom for a moment, can use these shoes to keep track of where the Alzheimer’s sufferer is at all times. Most patients don’t wander without their shoes on, and the shoes can be tracked by an assigned responsible person.

Tests of the shoes have worked well. Joan Johnston’s husband is an Alzheimer’s sufferer. She has experienced those moments of panic when her husband was not where she left him, nor anywhere in sight. She and her son were looking for options when she came across George Mason University and Carle’s plan. They were offered a pair of shoes to test, and decided to give it a try.

Joan does not have to worry about the technological side of the solution, her son, Alan, does that. If her husband is missing, she calls her son who can give her live feedback on his location, thanks to the GPS tracking in his shoes. The shoes can simply track location, or Alan can set a predetermined area for his dad to stay in, if he wanders out of the area, Alan will automatically be sent a text warning, and be prompted to go online and see his dad’s location.

So far, Joan and Alan are pleased with the peace of mind the shoes give them, and the safety they provide for Joan’s husband. Shoes with GPS tracking may not be new idea, but for Alzheimer’s patients, they can be a lifeline.

Mother of Missing Girl Finds GPS Device on Vehicle

Marisa O'Connor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:26:47 +0000

5-year-old Jhessye Shockley was reported missing in Glendale, AZ, 6 weeks ago by her mother, Jerice Hunter. Unfortunately, as with all too many missing persons cases, Shockley is believed to be dead. According to the Glendale police, her body is somewhere in the Butterfield Landfill. This sad story just keeps getting sadder, as the primary suspect is the victim’s own mother. Jerice Hunter, despite being the one who reported her daughter missing, is suspected of causing Jhessye’s death. The mother then allegedly disposed of the body in a dumpster in Tempe, which was eventually transported to the landfill.

Jerice Hunter was recently released from an arrest in November on child abuse charges related to Jhessye. Not surprisingly, many people learning about this story are very angry that Hunter is out of jail. Pages are popping up on Facebook, calling Hunter a monster. Undisclosed evidence also has police fairly certain of Hunter’s guilt, which has resulted in a search of her apartment, as well as finding GPS tracking devices attached to her vehicle.

Despite the general outrage expressed by most people learning of this tragic story, some people are defending Hunter, and have even befriended her. “[We] visited her while she was in jail and basically told her that we were there to show her the love of God and to give her spiritual guidance.” said one supporter, who wished to remain anonymous. When Hunter was released from jail, the woman continued to help Hunter run errands, and was quite surprised to find a GPS tracking device attached to her car.

A device was also found on her husbands car and on another woman’s car, who was helping Hunter. The third woman thought perhaps the device was part of her airbag system, and took her car into the dealership to have it looked at. When she was at the dealership, a police officer jumped out of his car and snatched the GPS tracking device out of her hand, saying “Give me my property back.” The U.S. Supreme Court is currently deciding the constitutionality of warrantless GPS tracking, which would certainly affect this case, should Jerice Hunter find herself back in court.

Photo by MegaBu7 Via Flicr Creative Commons

GPS Saves Lives in Hawaii and Beyond

John Chapman — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:00:21 +0000

The power of GPS satellites to save lives and help those in need seems to be growing every day. In the Koolau mountains in O’ahu, Hawaii, two hikers were recently rescued after getting lost on a hike.

The father and soon hiking team got lost on a trail. The son’s wife called firefighters, who then checked a GPS on their cell phone. Though the battery was low and the phone eventually died, firefighters used that fleeting moment of cell phone power and read their location on the GPS. Once that was done, they’d determined that the hikers were going in the wrong direction, actually going up the mountain.

Mother Nature is a stern taskmaster, and there’s nothing more frightening than getting lost on a hiking trail during a simple pleasure hike. However, with the implementation of GPS technologies on smart phones, adding safety and security to an afternoon hike is becoming easier.

As GPS technology becomes more commonplace, there are definitely advantages to individuals who want to be tracked voluntarily. In the case of those two hikers in Hawaii, their lives were saved. The world is quickly becoming a place where such hiking accidents don’t have to become tragedies. If it weren’t for the simple, easy use of GPS technology and cell phones, those hikers may have died.

If you’re going on a hike, the simple addition of a GPS or smart phone is now becoming a packing essential. There’s more to smart phones than texting and Angry Birds—these phones open up a whole new world of GPS technology that not only gets you where you need to go more quickly, but allows for satellite tracking in the event you get off the trail during the big hike. So what’s the moral of the story? Don’t go hiking without a GPS. It may save your life.

Many Malls Tracked Black Friday Shoppers: Did You Know?

Harriette Halepis — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:00:13 +0000

Some call it marketing. Others call it a blatant invasion of privacy. Call it what you will, many malls across the United States tracked cell phone users yesterday. One mall that is participating in a tracking program (Promenade Temacula in California) told press that the mall is hoping to pick up on shopper habits using cell phone tracking devices.

While malls claim that they did not gather any personal data while tracking during Black Friday, some shoppers are skeptical. Instead, mall managers claim that pings from each cell phone are gathered and tabulated. This information is then analyzed by mall managers in order to determine which stores are popular.

There’s no doubt that this type of shopper tracking will help malls bring in retailers that shoppers want to see more of, but, at the same time, shoppers have every right to be wary of such programs. This is especially true if malls that are tracking shoppers aren’t alerting shoppers of this tracking trend.

If you want to avoid being tracked in the future (who says that this type of tracking is an exclusive Black Friday event?), shut off your cell phone when you enter a mall. Of course, this means that you’ll have to forego shopping incentive programs like ShopKick (the iPhone app that rewards customers for shopping at, and simply entering, various stores), but keep in mind that those shopping apps are tracking your spending habits too.

Parent Develops App to Monitor Teen Texting

Marisa O'Connor — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:49:02 +0000

The teenage years are notoriously difficult for families. Children are becoming adults and the power dynamics of the household begin to change. It is an impressionable time, as teens begin to explore the adult world they are about to enter. There isn’t much parents can do to protect their growing children from potentially dangerous topics, like sex, alcohol and drugs. A father in Maryland’s solution was to develop an app, that allows him to monitor keywords within text messages sent to his teenagers’ phones, called Code9.

Code9 was developed by Chet Thaker, and named after texting slang teens use to let their friends know when a parent is watching. “Parents have a way of being notified when a specific word or text is used,” explained Chet Thaker. It is up to the parent to insert keywords, like sex, alcohol and other similar phrases that they want to be notified if they’re teen is using. “I found them using inappropriate language in response to specific events that may have happened,” Thaker said. The application also implements GPS tracking, to allow parents to see where their teen’s phones, and likely the teens themselves, have been throughout the day.

GPS tracking and keyword monitoring may very well protect teens from their foul-language-using peers, but without solid communication between parent and child, it is entirely too easy for teens to work around the app. If teens want to go somewhere without their parents monitoring them with GPS tracking, they could easily leave the phone somewhere acceptable to their parents. It would also be easy for teens to create a new code for the selected keywords, and remain under their nosy parent’s radar.

“The way we parent is we trust our children. We talk to them about what’s right, what’s appropriate, what’s inappropriate to send,” explained Ann Arundel County resident and mother of four, Elaine Harrison. The best way to protect teens from the dangers they’re not prepared for, is by creating a safe environment at home, where they can ask questions and express concerns. “The bigger picture is you have to continue dialogue with your children about what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate,” offers Harrison.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor

Photo Courtesy of ehecatzin through Creative Commons

Tracking Down Sex Offenders Accurately with GPS

Admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:57:17 +0000

Recently, law enforcement officials from over fifty counties in California met to discuss better tracking methods for sex offenders in their neighborhoods and communities. The CA Department of Corrections also announced an improvement in their offender tracking method. The DOC reported that their parole officers were spending too long with office-bound data reviewing, and too little time on the field. Therefore, California is now requiring the companies that provide offender-tracking GPS units to provide better data, including more accurate alerts and higher priority alerts for more serious offenders.

By making these stricter requests of the companies who provide GPS tracking services and data for law enforcement, California is taking good steps forward in protecting their neighborhoods and communities. The county of Santa Barbara alone has more than seven hundred registered offenders, and tracking those offenders will be much easier for parole agents with this more accurate GPS tracking data.

With GPS tracking devices being used to monitor sex offenders, law enforcement officers have access to more useful data than ever before. They can spend their time on the field visiting the most serious offenders and protecting the surrounding communities. Private citizens, however, do not have access to that level of information nor time to analyze it all. Citizens still have a responsibility to know their areas and protect themselves and those around them. The Megan’s Law website is one of the most valuable tools for families to use to protect themselves and their children.

Article Written by Nichole Decoust

Teen Tracking: A Privacy Issue?

Admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:05:43 +0000

One of the most traumatic days for any parent is the day when a teenager gets behind the wheel of a car for the first time. Almost every parent experiences worry and fear at some level for their son or daughter’s safety. Many parents are concerned about the potential injury that can be caused by other drivers around their children. But a number of parents fear that their teen’s inexperience and immaturity will turn them into the hazard. To deal with their fears that their own children may be driving poorly or recklessly, some parents use GPS technology to track the vehicles that their teens drive. This has been met with quite a bit of controversy.

One device used for parental tracking is called the Trackstick Mini GPS. This isn’t a direction-finder like a TomTom or Garmin. Instead, the Trackstick Mini sends a signal that users can use to track vehicle speed and location. The device logs movements and parents can use a computer program that plots their children’s driving on a Google Maps image. For many parents, this is a relief. It allows them to know that their son or daughter is driving safely and, if not, it gives them accurate information to correct poor driving. Parents see the Trackstick as a tool that allows them to raise their children well and ensure their children’s safety.

However, many people respond that this kind of tracking is an invasion of teens’ privacy. They call the Trackstick Mini “a spy device” and claim that teenagers deserve privacy away from their parents’ watchful eyes. They sometimes argue that a parent and teen relationship should be governed by trust, not by spying. Opponents sometimes admit that such tracking would be helpful, but they believe that privacy concerns trump safety.

People on both sides of this debate offer powerful arguments for their cases. Opponents of the Trackstick decry “secret spying,” while those in favor proclaim its safety benefits. Many parents are using this device with a balanced perspective: they make sure their teens know about the tracking device and keep their trust by not secretly spying on them. Of course, the bottom line for this debate is that every home is different. This should not be settled by laws and regulations, but by allowing each family to work together and decide what works best in their own home.

Article Written by Mark Rammel

Unique Tracking Program Gives Insurance Discounts

Admin — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:00:12 +0000

GPS tracking devices might soon be lowering your car insurance premiums. A unique new program gives a “pay-as-you-drive” spin on insurance. This new program involves a GPS tracking device being installed on the vehicle. The tracking device enables the insurance company to monitor the vehicle’s every move, giving them a pretty clear picture of the individual’s driving habits. This information can then be used by the insurance provider to determine a fair insurance premium.
Good or Bad?
Many people are uncomfortable with their insurance company have such detailed information about their driving habits and travels, viewing it as an invasion of privacy.
But New Jersey software programmer Saman Javasekara embraced this new program. After installing the GPS tracking device on his vehicle, he received a 23% discount from Progressive. Like Javasekara, many people who put aside their concerns will find themselves very pleased with the discount that they receive.
How It Works
This tracking program gathers pieces of information that are particularly important to insurance companies, such as how often the vehicle is driven, the distance the vehicle is driven, and how often the driver stops suddenly. Drivers who know that their moves are being monitored will keep focused on their driving. This new tracking program encourages less frequent driving in addition to safer driving. If programs like this become popular, people will be more likely to carpool and to walk or ride a bike to close locations, which would cut down on congestion and pollution.
This tracking system uses the car’s computerized diagnostic port, so it cannot be used in cars that were made before 1996.
Although the technology is still relatively new, using a GPS tracking device in a vehicle is not a completely new concept. State Farm uses GPS tracking devices in the vehicles that they insure, but they only use the trackers for roadside assistance. They do not use the devices in any way to calculate insurance rates.

Article Written by Janice Grover