Tracking
- Thread starter brite
- Start date
Hi brite,
There are literally hundreds of types that work perfectly that can be found for not much money on the likes of ebay.
The problem is finding a particular item your relative always takes out with them that can have something attached to it or be replaced by the tracker and you or someone else can have access to so it can be charged every 24 hrs or so.
There are literally hundreds of types that work perfectly that can be found for not much money on the likes of ebay.
The problem is finding a particular item your relative always takes out with them that can have something attached to it or be replaced by the tracker and you or someone else can have access to so it can be charged every 24 hrs or so.
I found 'Find my iphone' the easiest and cheapest way round this problem for my husband. I tried all sorts, some costly, others he would cast into the nearest hedge!
He wasn't able to use a phone but was quite happy to carry one in his pocket. I found it quite easy to find out where he was using this method.
JigJog x
He wasn't able to use a phone but was quite happy to carry one in his pocket. I found it quite easy to find out where he was using this method.
JigJog x
I have not, so can't recommend a particular brand.
Some on TP have gotten various monitoring devices through their SW or LA, so you could ask.
The challenge is often to make sure the person has the phone/device with them at all times and to keep it charged, change the batteries, or whatever is needed, for it to be functional.
Some here have been successful with attaching a tracking device to a person's keychain. Others have put one in a handbag or a pocket of a coat or jacket. Still others have concealed one inside the lining of a coat or handbag.
I think there are also alarms that can alert you if someone is at the door, if a door is opened, and so on. Those kinds of alerts to your mobile might also be useful.
Some on TP have gotten various monitoring devices through their SW or LA, so you could ask.
The challenge is often to make sure the person has the phone/device with them at all times and to keep it charged, change the batteries, or whatever is needed, for it to be functional.
Some here have been successful with attaching a tracking device to a person's keychain. Others have put one in a handbag or a pocket of a coat or jacket. Still others have concealed one inside the lining of a coat or handbag.
I think there are also alarms that can alert you if someone is at the door, if a door is opened, and so on. Those kinds of alerts to your mobile might also be useful.
I used a mobile phone until he stopped answering it or didn't hear it. I used a GPS tracker until he started jumping on any passing bus. The police had to join my daughter and I chasing him around Glasgow as he roamed happily. It was a terrifying nightmare which escalated. So many police reports.
His lameness, plus daycentres and Trazodone to calm his restlessness were the answers to a truly dreadful stage in this horrible illness.
His lameness, plus daycentres and Trazodone to calm his restlessness were the answers to a truly dreadful stage in this horrible illness.
My wife wears a tracker type "watch", which once on, can't be removed without an unlocking gadget. It's quite large but she doesn't seem to mind and I take it off at night to recharge.
It is in effect like a mini mobile phone and uses either GPS or the GSM phone signal to track its location. Provided by our local authority, it's linked to a central monitoring station, so if she were to go missing, we can call in to get her last indicated position. The centre could actually speak to the person, if they are able to understand and communicate, plus you can also set up a "Geo fence".
This allows for a zone within which the person is "safe". So it could be the home location, or say a 1 mile parameter - the person may be fine walking to their local shops but any further and they get confused/lost. Going outside this zone would alert the monitoring centre who would then contact the prearranged contacts.
It is in effect like a mini mobile phone and uses either GPS or the GSM phone signal to track its location. Provided by our local authority, it's linked to a central monitoring station, so if she were to go missing, we can call in to get her last indicated position. The centre could actually speak to the person, if they are able to understand and communicate, plus you can also set up a "Geo fence".
This allows for a zone within which the person is "safe". So it could be the home location, or say a 1 mile parameter - the person may be fine walking to their local shops but any further and they get confused/lost. Going outside this zone would alert the monitoring centre who would then contact the prearranged contacts.
When there are hundreds to choose from it can be very confusing. Are you able to recommend a particular watch type tracker? Any recommendations would be much appreciated.Hi brite,
There are literally hundreds of types that work perfectly that can be found for not much money on the likes of ebay.
The problem is finding a particular item your relative always takes out with them that can have something attached to it or be replaced by the tracker and you or someone else can have access to so it can be charged every 24 hrs or so.
Hi @MarkoG and welcome to Dementia Talking Point. You'll get lots of help and advice here. This is an old thread, so the original poster may not reply. I do know there are quite a few people that have used tracking devices so hopefully someone with experience of them will be along soon. You can also use the search bar at the top of the page to search for threads that might be relevant.
I never bothered for my mum. I lived too far away to go an rescue her if she had got in a pickle, and though mum did do unwise things and occasionally was unsure where she was, I moved her to a care home before she developed full scale wandering. She always took her handbag with her, which included a pocket diary, so I put my and my brother's phone numbers in there with an explanatory note just in case she did end up lost. Mum had very limited eye-sight so I knew she'd never actually read what I'd written. She would have been very cross if she had.
I never bothered for my mum. I lived too far away to go an rescue her if she had got in a pickle, and though mum did do unwise things and occasionally was unsure where she was, I moved her to a care home before she developed full scale wandering. She always took her handbag with her, which included a pocket diary, so I put my and my brother's phone numbers in there with an explanatory note just in case she did end up lost. Mum had very limited eye-sight so I knew she'd never actually read what I'd written. She would have been very cross if she had.
@MarkoG - this may or may not help!
My dad had a short but worrying career as an escapee from the home he is in so I rang him up and told him I was buying him a new watch. He was quite pleased with that and I asked him what kind he'd like - digital or anologue, and he asked for the latter, which is the most expensive (obviously!)
I bought (with his money, to be clear, it was a need recommended by social services) a Doro watch which looks like a normal watch. I also paid extra for the locking strap and that is good because dad would have lost it long ago without that. It calls me if he presses the buttons for too long and would be very helpful for someone without dementia who could learn how to use it. It also is supposed to have a fall alarm but Dad has fallen in his room and no notification, so not sure how that works. I realise I'm not giving a glowing review but it only has to work once or twice to feel it's been worth it. The GPS signal in the home is rubbish so it's not been that good over lockdown, and it requires a £20 a month subscription for the phone/tracking element of the watch.
BUT - when dad broke out of the home alone one morning and got on a bus, the tracking DID work. It did not work when he broke out on foot and didn't get far enough on his own to trigger it (he's not very mobile). I had hoped to stop the subscription but if I even think about it it's like he can tell and he mounts another campaign to wander off!
If you have someone living independently who you need to keep an eye on and goes out regularly it would be very useful.
Other types of trackers I considered:
Insoles - dad has special shoes and I couldn't guarantee which he'd wear, if he'd wear a pair (he's worn two left feet before) or indeed many people can't guarantee a PWD will even wear shoes if they wander off.
A keyring/necklace style tracker - would have been discarded and lost almost immediately.
Really, for my dad, a non-removable watch was the only thing that would work.
The other thing is charging. They all need it. The care home staff take dad's watch off using the key discreetly when he has a bath or shower and charge it and that seems to keep it going enough. Dad would never charge it otherwise.
I get a lot of false calls when he's fiddling with it and accidently holds down the panic button, and I used to answer and talk to him and he seemed completely unsurprised by me talking to him from his wrist like he was James Bond. You don't have to have that feature enabled but I did and it also has auto answer so if he had wandered off I could call him and it would connect immediately, so I could, in theory, help someone else help him, and hear what was going on, if he was able to speak to me etc.
My dad had a short but worrying career as an escapee from the home he is in so I rang him up and told him I was buying him a new watch. He was quite pleased with that and I asked him what kind he'd like - digital or anologue, and he asked for the latter, which is the most expensive (obviously!)
I bought (with his money, to be clear, it was a need recommended by social services) a Doro watch which looks like a normal watch. I also paid extra for the locking strap and that is good because dad would have lost it long ago without that. It calls me if he presses the buttons for too long and would be very helpful for someone without dementia who could learn how to use it. It also is supposed to have a fall alarm but Dad has fallen in his room and no notification, so not sure how that works. I realise I'm not giving a glowing review but it only has to work once or twice to feel it's been worth it. The GPS signal in the home is rubbish so it's not been that good over lockdown, and it requires a £20 a month subscription for the phone/tracking element of the watch.
BUT - when dad broke out of the home alone one morning and got on a bus, the tracking DID work. It did not work when he broke out on foot and didn't get far enough on his own to trigger it (he's not very mobile). I had hoped to stop the subscription but if I even think about it it's like he can tell and he mounts another campaign to wander off!
If you have someone living independently who you need to keep an eye on and goes out regularly it would be very useful.
Other types of trackers I considered:
Insoles - dad has special shoes and I couldn't guarantee which he'd wear, if he'd wear a pair (he's worn two left feet before) or indeed many people can't guarantee a PWD will even wear shoes if they wander off.
A keyring/necklace style tracker - would have been discarded and lost almost immediately.
Really, for my dad, a non-removable watch was the only thing that would work.
The other thing is charging. They all need it. The care home staff take dad's watch off using the key discreetly when he has a bath or shower and charge it and that seems to keep it going enough. Dad would never charge it otherwise.
I get a lot of false calls when he's fiddling with it and accidently holds down the panic button, and I used to answer and talk to him and he seemed completely unsurprised by me talking to him from his wrist like he was James Bond. You don't have to have that feature enabled but I did and it also has auto answer so if he had wandered off I could call him and it would connect immediately, so I could, in theory, help someone else help him, and hear what was going on, if he was able to speak to me etc.
