Help for Alzheimer's Caregivers
From: CBS News - The Early Show - 08/10/2002

Many relatives and friends are worried to leave Alzheimer's patients alone -
with good reason. The Early Show has a look at a new tracking device called
Project Lifesaver that may help alleviate the concern.  

What is Project Lifesaver? 
"Project Lifesaver was established about three-and-a-half years ago to
address the needs of the growing problem of Alzheimer's patients who
wandered," says Gene Saunders, Executive Director for Project Lifesaver. He
points out that after putting lot of time, manpower and money into finding
lost patients, many times the searches were not ending well.  

How does the tracking system work? 
"We place a radio wrist or radio ankle band on the person with the disorder
and inside the band is a small radio transmitter. Each person has an
individualized frequency, which we record and should this person get away
from the caregiver we can respond to the area where the person was seen. With
trained personnel and tuning in the frequency we can track and locate them."
Saunders explains. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/19/earlyshow/health/health_news/main519149.shtml

Links:
Device Tracks Lost Patients

Dementia
http://www.atdementia.org.uk/

Wandering detectors
http://www.atdementia.org.uk/productSearch.asp?search=go&searchmethod=cats&cat_id=9&subcat_id=12

WristCare Home System
http://www.vivatec.co.uk/wristcare_home.html

Wanderguard
http://www.seniortechnologies.com/products/wanderguard/

Project Lifesaver International
http://www.projectlifesaver.org/site/