any experience monitoring loved one from different country using GPS tracker?

[robertblyth]

Hello,

I live in Europe and I would like to purchase a suitable GPS tracker for my mother who lives in the UK. I need to monitor my mother who has alzheimers and dementia when she goes out for a walk, travel on a bus. etc. Does anyone have any feedback for a suitable GPS tracker and any experiences in monitoring their loved ones from different countries using a GPS tracker? Many thanks

 

[Louise7]

Hello @robertblyth you'll find lots of friendly support and advice here. I don't have personal experience of a tracker but a search using the 'search facility' at the top of the page has identified these previous threads that may be helpful (some posts are quite old so the info may be out of date but the newer threads should help):

Search results for query: gps tracker

forum.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[imthedaughter]

Yes my dad has a 'doro 'watch, his selection, it looks exactly like a analogue watch, but the idea was to have a tracker which he could not remove as he was going out - and rightly so, to maintain some independence - but then forgetting where he was, where he was supposed to be and/or tripping over his own feet and then someone would call an ambulance. The watch is not very useful now as he never goes out (plus lockdown) but if he got on a bus or something it would alert once he left the 'zone' I have set up and you can then track him and find him if he's out too long. That was the idea. I will warn you though, GPS is pretty spotty - but it does help. Dad's watch was really expensive, plus the locking strap, plus the subscription to actually make it work. Oh and it needs charging, but the cares manage that pretty well for him.

 

[heatherj]

We got a Vodafone GPS tracker for my mum's keyring. It's very inexpensive. I think it cost £20 and then a subscription of about £2 per month for the data. You have an app on your phone that tells you where the tracker is, how much battery it has left, and it can be set up to notify you when it leaves a certain area. The problem that we have is the battery. The settings will default to scanning every 30 minutes to see where it is. Like this, the battery will last for around 5 or 6 days. If you increase the frequency to checking every 5 minutes then obviously it impacts on battery life taking it down to 3 or 4 days. If she were to get lost, you can activate real time tracking which only works for around 15 minutes and really drains the battery. It is very simple to charge. It's just a magnetic connection. But it is more than my mum can cope with and I live quite far away, so I have to try and arrange for other people to charge it. Which usually works ok but we have had a few occasions where it has run out of battery.

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

Hello,

I live in Europe and I would like to purchase a suitable GPS tracker for my mother who lives in the UK. I need to monitor my mother who has alzheimers and dementia when she goes out for a walk, travel on a bus. etc. Does anyone have any feedback for a suitable GPS tracker and any experiences in monitoring their loved ones from different countries using a GPS tracker? Many thanks

I think it's very ambitious! Yes, you can get a tracker and monitor her movements (albeit with the various issues mentioned above) but what will you do when the alert sounds? What if it's in the middle of the night? Or several times every night?

I think at the very least you'll need to alert social services that she may be wandering and probably the local police too, perhaps providing her details in case they find her.

But if you're concerned about her safety when she goes out it sounds like she needs people looking after her - carers, etc. Potentially dangerous wandering is often the reason people have to move into a care home. You could find yourself spending a lot of money on a clever device only to discover your mum is no longer safe to live on her own.

 

[Annafreckles]

We got a Vodafone GPS tracker for my mum's keyring. It's very inexpensive. I think it cost £20 and then a subscription of about £2 per month for the data. You have an app on your phone that tells you where the tracker is, how much battery it has left, and it can be set up to notify you when it leaves a certain area. The problem that we have is the battery. The settings will default to scanning every 30 minutes to see where it is. Like this, the battery will last for around 5 or 6 days. If you increase the frequency to checking every 5 minutes then obviously it impacts on battery life taking it down to 3 or 4 days. If she were to get lost, you can activate real time tracking which only works for around 15 minutes and really drains the battery. It is very simple to charge. It's just a magnetic connection. But it is more than my mum can cope with and I live quite far away, so I have to try and arrange for other people to charge it. Which usually works ok but we have had a few occasions where it has run out of battery.

We have this one at the moment vodaohone curve which was brilliant when he was getting bus home and was more physically able to but it wasn't working the other day my dad just moved into independent living and got confused went back to old place and was found by police at midnight wandering It may be due to reception or only being 8% charged. Not sure but looking for more reliable one that goes on keyring as keys are the only thing he will definitely take with him on a lanyard! Won't wear watch or use a phone. I found one tracker shop keyring tracker for elderly but put of stock everywhere and apparently not cung back but had great reviews!! Any recommendations.

 

[Jessbow]

Surely, unless whatever device you choose has an ability for you to peak to him, it will have to be a paid monitored one?

Its all vry well you beening able to see where he is, but who will direct him back home/rescue him?