We thought of cameras, GPS watches ect. but that will not stop her from wandering off. In the past it was just once in awhile, now in the last day she walked off several times in one day and once today. While we were gone we called her 3 times and she still managed to walk off and a neighbor had to bring her home. We live in a rural area. Lee County Iowa. So I was wondering if there was an elderly day care for someone with mental issues. Also I was wondering what type of camera and/or GPS watch would be the best for my mother. A GPS watch that I could communicate with her. What products would be the best so she still can stay at home?
For your Mom's safety and for your peace of mind, you need to have her live in a Memory Care Unit that can monitor her movements and that can prevent her from going outside.
I looked at the map of Lee County and I notice that the Mississippi River is one of it's borders. How far away do you live from the river? I also noticed that there are lots of hills, wooded areas and corn fields. It looks like Lee County would not be an easy place to conduct a search for a missing person, especially an elderly one. I had a friend whose parent died after they wandered away from their house and was not found until the next day. I pray that your family does not experience this tragedy.
As for a GPS watch where you can talk with her.... I doubt with her memory issues she would understand that the watch is talking to her. In fact, it might scare her to a point where she would run trying to get away from the voice. Modern technology is nice, but is far off from perfecting one's voice to actually sound like that person.
You don't want to come home and find a search team out looking for your mother.
Here is the Lee County Home Health website:
leecountyhd.org/index.php/home-care/
I think that you need to talk with these organizations and tell them your situation as they know what type of services Lee County has for the elderly better than we do.
I think the only thing that can prevent her from wandering is having someone else with her at all times. Technology is amazing but will it prevent her from walking out the front door? When someone wants to wander they can be very determined and they need to be diverted.
Unfortunately, cmagnum is correct. At this point in the dementia progression, Mom cannot be safely left alone, probably not even for short periods. This is a sad milestone in the disease.
Being able to communicate with her is good, but she will reach a point that she can't be reasoned with and that will be a mess with her out some where.
Being in a rural area puts you in a bind for there are not resources there like in the city. How far are you from a town or city with resources?
At some point your mom's care and safety need to become the priority over her being able to stay at home.