Caregiving often comes with specific challenges, ones that you may not have even imagined previously. One of these is the way that elderly parents can wander off and get lost.
This problem is particularly significant for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, as they can easily become confused and disoriented. In some families, the solution is to use a GPS unit in the car and this can help to find the senior if anything happens.
Having a GPS unit in your car is extremely useful but seniors often aren’t driving when they wander off. Indeed, many seniors find that they have to retire from driving as they age.
One alternative is Alzheimer GPS devices. These are GPS options that are specifically designed for the challenges that Alzheimer’s disease creates and offer a way to track seniors regardless of whether they are driving or walking. Doing so can offer immense relief and can help you to ensure the safety of your family member.
There is considerable variation between the different Alzheimer GPS devices, including differences in cost, the way that location is tracked and how the device is used.
This post highlights 5 appealing Alzheimer GPS devices that can be used to help keep your loved one safe. There are also many others on the market and these options may act as a starting point for further research.
Now, getting started with one of these products can seem relatively expensive. Nevertheless, they can be viewed as long-term investments which help to ensure your loved ones safety. In some cases, such devices could even save their life.
1. Project Lifesaver (www.projectlifesaver.org/)
Project Lifesaver is an international non-profit organization that has a strong focus on helping people to track and find loved ones. The key way of doing this is through an Alzheimer GPS device that they call PAL.
This is a personal locator system that includes a wristwatch and an associated device.
That wristwatch contains GPS functionality and can be used to track the location of the senior via the portable receiver. The device works by using cellular networks, specifically the AT&T network.
As such, you need to check local network coverage before getting the device. If you have more AT&T coverage in your area, then the GPS unit isn’t likely to work well. With this product, you pay an initial cost for the item, in addition to a monthly service plan, which is around $30.
The only way to buy the product appears to be to get the item and a year of service at once, which comes to around $625.
The device also lets you set a perimeter and you will receive a notification if your loved one goes outside of that area. This lets you be confident that your family member is safe without having to actively monitor the device.
2. MindMe (www.mindme.care/)
The company here actually offers two products, one is an Alzheimer GPS device and the other is an alarm button.
The GPS device is fairly simple and is also small. The design means that you could easily place it in a wallet or attach it to a necklace. The battery on the device lasts up to 48 hours and it can be recharged fairly easily.
The location of your loved one can be tracked on the website for MindMe, along with movement history for the past 28 days.
Like many of the devices on this list, this product is GPS-based, which does mean that it won’t work in tall buildings or the like. However, the product records location every 4 minutes – so you can easily use previous locations to figure out what building a senior is likely to be in.
Additionally, the device does use a mobile phone network to transmit the data. So, you need to make sure there is a decent connection in your local area if you plan on relying on this device.
Those limitations do mean that the device isn’t perfect. Nevertheless, there will always be some issues when it comes to tracking and no system will work effectively 100% of the time.
In this case, the device and its charger costs $140, while the monthly subscription is just $20, which is lower than many of the other options.
3. SafeLink (www.safelinkgps.com/)
SafeLink is also designed to be worn in a range of ways and the company even offers a pouch that makes it easy to find places to store the device. This one is a little bulkier than the previous option but the difference isn’t dramatic.
There is also a second device, which is a 2G watch. This one functions in the same way, although it is slightly more expensive to buy. However, some people may find that watch to be a more practical option and it is visually appealing.
You can see the styles of the two options, along with their prices, in the image below.
The company notes that it uses an ‘artificial intelligent position processing system’. It isn’t clear precisely how this differs from what other products offer but, in theory, the concept should make the device more accurate and reliable.
With this device, tracking is web-based, so you can keep an eye on your loved ones via a computer. There is also the chance for multiple people to be logged in at the same time. That may be appealing if you have multiple family members involved in caring for your loved one.
4. PocketFinder (www.pocketfinder.com/)
The company behind PocketFinder doesn’t specialize in Alzheimer GPS trackers, unlike most of the other sites. Instead, their focus is on GPS devices for all types of uses.
The senior tracker option is another discreet one and looks fairly similar to the MindMe option from earlier.
Location can be tracked online or using various mobile apps. Like the other options, you also have the ability to set a geo-zone and get alerts when the senior goes outside of it.
The current price of the device is $129.95, although the company has sold out of its current version and is releasing a new one soon. There is no indication about the monthly service fee for this option but it is likely to be in the $20 to $30 range, simply based on what other companies offer.
5. SmartSole (www.gpssmartsole.com)
Most Alzheimer GPS devices are things that people have to carry with them, often on a chain or in their wallet. In most cases, that practice is fine but it might not be viable for some seniors. SmartSole offers another alternative.
As the same suggests, the device is a GPS unit that is in the form of a shoe sole. This comes in two sizes that can be trimmed to fit the individual shoe.
The GPS unit can send alerts through text and email if the senior has wandered outside of the zone that you set up. There is also a smartphone app that can be used to monitor location.
The biggest advantage of this particular device is that it is discreet. Furthermore, a senior may well go out without their wallet or without the GPS device but is less likely to wander without their shoes.
The discreet nature may also be appealing if you’re dealing with a stubborn parent.
Of course, the nature of the product does mean that it will work better for seniors that have a limited number of shoes, as you effectively need to include one of the soles in each set of shoes that they have.
In terms of cost, the sole itself is at $299. There is also an activation fee and two options for a monthly plan (either $29.95/month or $49.95/month).
This price can seem fairly high, especially if your loved one has more than one set of shoes. However, it isn’t so different than the various other options on this list.
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