Any caregiver who has a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or dementia is aware of the risk of that person wandering away. In fact, the issue of wandering is one of the most expensive and life threatening situations in the United States. There are over 5 million people with Alzheimer's in the U.S., and it is estimated that 60% of those individuals will wander during the progression of their disease, many of them, repeatedly. That represents 3 million incidents of missing persons with Alzheimer's due to wandering.
Public safety workers and emergency response teams – police, sheriffs, EMTs, firemen, etc. - recognize this growing problem. There is a not-for-profit organization, called Project Lifesaver International that works hand-in-hand with trained public safety agencies to find wanderers.
These public safety agencies sign up to become part of the Project Lifesaver network and are provided with tracking equipment that they can use to locate wanderers. Caregivers have to sign up for the program with their local police department. Caregivers receive a small tracking device that the person with Alzheimer's wears. This small personal transmitter goes around their wrist or ankle. The device emits an individual tracking signal. If the person goes missing, the caregiver notifies 911 or calls Project Lifesaver directly, and trained emergency teams takes over.
The personal transmitter tracks the person's location and the direction in which they are moving, to help emergency personnel find the wanderer as quickly as possible. Radio Frequency Technology has a 1 mile tracking radius on the ground and up to 7 miles in the air.
Currently, 1,100 agencies in 45 states participate in the program—police departments, sheriffs, fire departments, public safety departments and other emergency responders. Some communities offer the service for free; in others there is a small monthly fee.
"Without effective procedures and equipment, searches can involve multiple agencies, hundreds of officers, countless man hours and thousands of dollars. More importantly, because time is of the essence, every minute lost increases the risk of a tragic outcome for the Alzheimer's patient, their caregivers and their families," says Christine M. Platz, Director of Media and Communications for Project Lifesaver.
The national statistics on wanderers are alarming: 46% of those who wander will not be found in time or not found at all. Using Project Lifesaver, most wanderers are found within a few miles from home, and search times have been reduced from days to hours – and in some cases, minutes. The average recovery time is 30 minutes — 95% less time than standard operations.
It is important to note that even if a local police station or other agency is a member of Project Lifesaver, caregivers must sign up with that agency in order to get the tracking device they need. Costs to enroll a loved one in Project Lifesaver vary by local area. Some areas participate in grant funding and programs and may be able to provide wristbands at discounted rates or at no charge to the family.
To find out or enroll in Project Lifesaver, contact your local police department and ask if they participate. If you do not know if Project Lifesaver is available in your area, call Project Lifesaver International Headquarters at (757) 546-5502. For more information, visit the Project Lifesaver website.