Apr 30, 2021
Law Enforcement Agencies Decrease Wandering Incidents while Enhancing Peace of Mind for Communities using mPERS Monitoring Technology
Baby Boomers in the US number 69 million, the second-largest demographic group, trailing the 72 million Millennials by a mere 3 million. Many of us have already retired, while most of the rest of us can’t wait! With ongoing advancements in healthcare, we are living longer than ever before. We are a hearty bunch who wish to stay active, independent, and in our home of choice. You may have even noticed that many more retirement subdivisions and communities being developed all over the country to support the desire to make the most of our golden years.
While this new retirement chapter should be an exciting and pleasant time of life, for those with memory loss due to early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, or other medical conditions it can be very stressful and even unsafe. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that 5.8 million Americans 65 and older are living with the disease. As more and more of the Baby Boomer generation reaches that age, the number of Americans with the disease will increase to a projected 7.1 million people by 2025, an increase of nearly 22%. Unexpected wandering is a common side effect of conditions with memory loss, creating anxiety and worry for the person affected as well as their family and friends. Alzheimer’s Association states that approximately 60% of persons with dementia will wander. If a person is not located quickly the consequences can be dire – read more here.
In an active wandering incident, the goal is the fast retrieval of the lost person. The law enforcement community is very aware of the cost to the community in these unfortunate events: not only the exorbitant cost of search and rescue (SAR), especially if there is escalation requiring helicopters or even divers, but also the tremendous emotional stress and anxiety for the families. The best solution for wandering events is prevention or a solution to find loved ones faster to avoid a tragedy.
In the last few decades, law enforcement agencies have been employing different strategies to track individuals who may wander, from scent kits to publicly broadcasted alerts to simple remote tracking technology. The latter solution, commonly known as a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) has been more effective because it can proactively prevent a wandering escalation by sending alerts to family caregivers. However, legacy PERS solutions had limitations, too. These could be expensive, requiring a base unit in addition to a wearable, relying on Wi-Fi, Blue Tooth, or Radio Frequency (RF) technology to keep families connected. But none of these forms of communication will work if the person wandering is driving a car or golf cart, which is a common occurrence. The often-stigmatizing lanyard or wearable PERS form factor is not embraced by active Boomers, either. For newer PERS devices employing cellular GPS communication, another pending issue is the 3G sunset beginning later this year that could render some PERS devices useless.
PERS has now evolved to mobile PERS (mPERS) with 4G/5G cellular support. It’s affordable, and the form factor has been updated to include a more stylish, less stigmatizing wristwatch design which is preferred by those with memory loss. And the remote monitoring capabilities have expanded to provide more information, communication, alerts and peace of mind for families.
New Law Enforcement Programs Unite Communities Focused on Decreasing Wandering Events
The evolution to mPERS cellular wearables is great news for law enforcement agencies and families of loved ones with memory loss. Some law enforcement agencies have already launched innovative programs to help make the community safer using mPERS GPS wearables, read more here.
Community programs are popping up around the country using technology to promote wandering protection. An mPERS wearable is provided to a person with memory loss, which connects to an app on the primary family caregiver’s personal smartphone. Using the app, the family caregiver can stay connected with their loved one anytime, anywhere their loved one is using the wearable. These wearables are simple to operate, show updated GPS location and act as a cell phone, like a purpose-built smartwatch for older adults. The family caregiver can set up Safe Zones, and be notified if a loved one exits a safe area so they can contact them directly to check-in and diffuse a potential wandering incident – without the need to engage law enforcement. If their loved one should become lost or confused, the family caregiver can even force a call to the wearable that will automatically answer so the wearer can hear their reassuring voice through a built-in speaker. The watch also has an “SOS” button that the wearer can press to activate a call to the primary caregiver in case of an emergency.
Wandering prevention and recovery
Collaborative law enforcement community programs with local families provide affordable mPERS wearables in a mutually beneficial program. The agency registers the wearable’s cellular number and unique details to a secure web-based dashboard program. In the event the family caregiver is unable to recover their loved one quickly and requires backup, they simply call the law enforcement agency where their loved one is registered. Through the dashboard, the agency can immediately see the mPERS wearer’s location and deploy assistance immediately. The web-based dashboard enables local law enforcement to see the wearer’s GPS location update as well, just as the primary family caregiver can see in their smartphone app, but with the ability to react faster. The wearer is collected by law enforcement before the wandering incident can further escalate.
Communities are seeing positive results using the mPERS wearables in wandering programs. It’s a big win-win for all in a safer community, reduced wandering incidents, and a lower cost yet innovative solution to the growing issue.
