Personal tracker device

[Pepewayne]

My close relative has advanced loss of memory and often forgets where is she. I am trying to get advice from this community regarding a good personal tracking device of if somebody has used one.
Leaving the discussion of privacy, ethics, etc on a side - Any help or recommendation will be much appreciated. I had found an article suggested from a user but not clear if can be used in the uk and the cost of the service if there is any.
how-to-prevent-your-dog-from-getting-lost-with-your-smartphone-uk

Thanks

 

[Amy in the US]

Hi, Pepewayne, and welcome to Talking Point. Sorry you had to find your way here.

I haven't any personal experience, but this is a link to a couple of threads on this topic, which contain links to other threads, if that makes any sense. Hope you can find something helpful, and I am sure others will be along with suggestions or advice for you.

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?82661-GPS-trackers&highlight=track*

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?87760-help-Dad-needs-tracking-device&highlight=track*

 

[abz2005]

Hi

We bought my dad a tracking device as he was always getting lost, we attached it to his keyring along with his house keys, although it was small it was a little bulky on the keys he ended up taking it off before leaving the house as we found out.

Next solution was to buy a cheap GPS enabled phone, we told him it was a phone plane and simple not that we were tracking him. The app we use is called Kid Control it's totally free although they would need data enabled on the phone, you would have it on parent mode and they would have it in child mode so they can't mess with anything and it runs in the back ground. Excellent bit of software it's fairly accurate, keeps the history of where they've been plus you can add a few people of there to help you track like wife, son, daughter, etc.

My only issue is my dad is a little suspicious when I turn up randomly if he's out late

 

[Beate]

Ask Social Services, they might get telecare to provide you with one for free. They have all sorts of gadgets.

 

[Kevinl]

Hi Pepe, welcome to TP
As abz suggest there are plenty of widely used kids tracking apps available, so get them a new mobile if using one is within their capacity range, then have a few people call them in the first few days they have it so you can show the importance of having it with them all the time.
Doesn't always work, I gave my wife a mobile (face down as I handed it to her) and she tried to eat it as she though it was a bar of chocolate, so it doesn't always work.
And as Beate suggests as the try the local SS, they have a range of stuff available usually free.
I like Beate's term "gadget" makes it sound very James Bond, it made me think of the film where James Bond was microchipped and they tracked him riding a motorbike along the roof of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.
I doubt that your local LA has access to this level of technology or indeed that your relative is likely to be riding a motorbike over the roofs of Istanbul, but with AZ always expect the unexpected so you never know what they're going to do next
K

 

[eve67]

Bought a tracking device from
www.personalgpstrackers.co.uk
for £187.99 earlier this year. I know its expensive but find it is was worth it for peace of mind as OH would love to go shopping or for a crafty pint at our local. You have to set up a link with your mobile and I found I had to charge tracker at least every other day. He took to wearing it on a cord around his neck quite well as I think deep down something in him realised it was for his own safety.

eve

 

[tss502]

Hi,

I've been using an app called Life360 on my husband's mobile phone. It worked very well earlier this year when he went missing 2 or 3 times and I was able to pinpoint where he was. Problem is that it relies on the phone being charged, switched on, and that he remembers to take the phone with him if he goes out. Recently he hasn't been going out much on his own so he's got out of the habit of keeping the phone charged and taking it with him. I am going to try a gps tracker device which the Alzheimers Society have given to me. I am hoping it won't need charging so frequently and that it is small enough to slip in his back pack.