Tracking devices for shoes?

[Val74]

Has anybody used any tracking devices for shoes that they found helpful please?

My uncle is struggling as wants to remain independent yet everyone worries (naturally) when he goes wandering.

Can see that there is a trial in Dorset of GPS shoe insoles. There is another company I've come across that does them but as they're on trial with Alzheimer'sUK I wasn't sure whether they were actually any good - to warrant buying from this separate company.

Also - Chippolo discs have been mentioned to me by our Local Authority - but can these be attached to shoes in any way?

Thought maybe somebody here would have first hand experience.

Thanks in advance.

Val

 

[Cat27]

I’ve no experience but hopefully somebody will have.

 

[Hayley JS]

Hi @Val74, I don't know about GPS in shoes, but I do have a chipolo for mum. It only works for a relatively short distance so I use it for when we are out together in case we get separated. I find it handy as unlike the GPS tracker I also have, it doesn't need charging every other day. I think you'd struggle attaching it to a shoe though, it's about the size of a 10p. Have you thought about a smartwatch? Best wishes

 

[Valpiana]

No experience of the insoles but I would also like to know what they are like. For the past month my PWD has been using a Spytrack nano. It works beautifully,very accurate tracking via a smartphone app. Does need charging at least once a week. Cost seems reasonable especially if you pay for 6 months or a year. I put it in a money pouch under my PWD's clothes so it can't be removed easily.

 

[Helly68]

Just thought it worth mentioning - some people with dementia will go to surprising lengths to dismantle gadgets, and this might need to be considered.
We bought Mummy an Esky, which "finds" sticks, keys etc using a series of fobs and a remote locator. You press the locator and the fobs flash and beep to locate items. Worked brilliantly until Mummy took the remote to pieces, broke some bits and threw away the batteries.
To be fair, I think she found it annoying, but her determination to thwart gadgets meant I never got her a tracker.

 

[Val74]

Thanks for your replies guys and sorry I've been so long responding, just so much going on all the time with one thing and another. Is such a shame that nobody's used the insoles, was really hoping someone would be able to say 'yes, get them, they're great!'. How does the spytrack work Valpiana? My uncle tends not to carry anything in his pockets these days but hopefully would be a way of slipping it in somewhere unnoticed. Do you have to subscribe to be able to track it though? Am half wondering whether it would just be better to get him a smartphone and encourage him to always take that as they can always be traced through findmyphone...

 

[Louise7]

Is such a shame that nobody's used the insoles, was really hoping someone would be able to say 'yes, get them, they're great!'.

This thread contains feedback from a member who has tried insole trackers, but not positive. Best to buy a product that has been tried and tested - if you use the search facility at the top of the page you'll find quite a lot of posts about various trackers which might be helpful:

Shoe/sole trackers

Has anyone tried a shoe/sole tracker for their loved ones? My partner can forget his tracker, so these seem ideal. However, they are quite expensive and I wondered how hardwearing they are. He has PPA and walks a lot, and by a lot I mean it can be between 5 and 10 miles a day...so they would...

forum.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[Valpiana]

Hi,
It is small and I put it inside a moneypouch that goes under clothes,so isn't so easy to leave behind.
It seems to be much more accurate than an app on a smart phone.
It cost £49:00 plus £10 for one month use. It gets cheaper the more months you purchase.I have just done 6 months for £45:00.
The person wanting to do the tracking needs a mobile phone to download the app. You can set up geofenceing but that has to be done on a laptop,which is the only negative I have .found
There is an alarm button on it for the wearer to call for help( it sends a text to the phone with the app) but my PWD would forget it was there.
It needs charging up at least once a week.
I got it from rewiresecurity.co.uk
I found the setting up instructions very good although the geofenceing took a bit of time to work out.