Technology helps track lost Alzheimer’s patients

Different systems work better in different environments.

HAINESPORT, N.J. (AP) — It looks like a toy, but the bracelet locked around Bob Melnick’s wrist gives his wife some peace of mind: If this Alzheimer’s patient wanders off and gets lost, he’s wearing a tracking beacon to help bring him home.

“I’m a marked man,” joked Melnick, of Hainesport, N.J. “The police can pick me up anywhere.”

Wandering is one of the most frightening symptoms of advancing dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association estimates it will happen to nearly 60 percent of patients.

A mini-industry of technologies promises to find lost Alzheimer’s patients — from simple radio-wave beacons that cost $10 a month for batteries, to more sophisticated GPS devices that can cost hundreds of dollars.

Little if any independent research has been done to help determine which systems work best in different environments, and therefore are best suited to different families.

“These technologies need to be evaluated,” said Majd Alwan, director of the Center for Aging Services Technologies, a coalition of government, universities and high-tech companies.

Things to consider

Among considerations are where the patient lives, added Henry Kautz of the University of Rochester, who is helping develop next-generation systems. For example, the accuracy of GPS devices depends on access to satellites powering the navigation tool.

“You have to have a clear line of sight to the satellite,” Kautz said, which can be difficult in a large city. Companies are working to boost signal strength.

Radiofrequency “tags” are a hot topic for assisted-living facilities. Patients wear a sensor read by receivers on doors that sound an alarm when someone strolls too far.