GPS device to help wanderers

A personal alert and location service for people with dementia was launched by Alzheimer’s Australia New South Wales (NSW) at the second annual Memory Walk at Parramatta Park on 27 September.

Safe2Walk is a GPS and mobile phone device that has been designed to reduce the risk of people with dementia going missing.

Chief executive officer of Alzheimer’s Australia NSW, John Watkins, said ‘wandering’ – the term used for those people with dementia who may wander from their usual environments – was quite common amongst people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

“It can be quite scary for people living with the illness and their families,” Mr Watkins said.

“In NSW, 11,000 people are reported missing to police each year and almost 10% of those are experiencing a dementia-related illness. Sadly, some of these people never return.

“Safe2Walk may help minimise the danger wandering can pose and can help provide much-needed peace of mind.”

The device can be worn around the neck on a lanyard or clipped to a belt and has a GPS function on it that updates the location every 60 seconds. Carers can then log on to a secure, easy-to-use website and see where the person wearing the device is.

There is also a simple mobile phone component to the device, which is operated by one button, which holds up to three pre-programmed telephone numbers. If the primary carer’s phone number is busy, it will automatically divert to a second or third nominated carer. The phone also has an auto answer feature.

Safe2Walk was developed after an extensive two-year study by Alzheimer’s Australia Western Australia.

The organisation worked closely with people with dementia and their carers to develop a GPS location device that also offers a simple-to-use one touch mobile phone and panic alert.

The service is offered at a weekly hire fee of $9.90 plus GST for members of Alzheimer’s Australia NSW and $12.90 plus GST for non-members and is supported by staff who are experts in the field of dementia care and assistive technology.

“It’s all about empowerment and helping maintain independence, so people with dementia can go walking with greater confidence. This decreases the likelihood of premature admission into residential care or the need for hospitalisation,” Mr Watkins said.

Mr Watkins along with Alzheimer’s Australia NSW Advisory Council member, Ita Buttrose, and Federal Member for Bennelong, Maxine McKew, demonstrated the Safe2Walk device during Alzheimer’s Australia NSW’s second annual Memory Walk at Parramatta Park.

Ms Buttrose said the Safe2Walk device would help empower people who might otherwise feel confined to their home, to walk with confidence.

“Dementia not only affects the person with the illness, but also those that care for them. The device will bring peace of mind and brief respite to those who provide tireless support at home,” she said.

Ms McKew said she was pleased to help support such a worthwhile cause.

“Dementia is a devastating disease that will affect more and more members of our community,” Ms McKew said.

“We need to do what we can now to try to minimise the impact it will have.”