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Alberta launches program to track dementia patients with GPS devices

Alberta launches program to track dementia patients with GPS devices

If your loved ones suffered dementia, or were otherwise prone to wandering off due to a medical condition, would you fit them with a tracking device? Is it appropriate to use the same technology that monitors your vehicle’s location and the whereabouts of criminals on house arrest to keep track of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease?

The concept of using GPS devices to track patients has been used elsewhere, and now Alberta is kicking the tires with a new program to help keep tabs on patients in danger of wandering off.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced on Wednesday the launch of a pilot project that will link people who suffer dementia with GPS tracking devices, making the recovery of lost patients smooth and instantaneous.

According to AHS, the Locator Device Project is already underway in Calgary and Grande Prairie, where a total of 20 patients have been connected to tracking devices located in their shoes, wrist watches or inside a phone-sized pocket device.

"This research project has tremendous potential to improve the quality of life for thousands of Alberta seniors affected by cognitive impairment and provide peace of mind for the loved ones who care for them. Seniors, student researchers, the technology sector and our society can all benefit from this initiative," Premier Dave Hancock said in a statement.

There are currently about 747,000 Canadians suffering from dementia, and the population is expected to double to 1.4 million people over the next 14 or 15 years. A major issue that afflicts those with Alzheimer's disease is referred to as "wandering," which is caused by the confusion that comes with changes in the brain. While not directly harmful, wandering can place patients in dangerous situations, or leave them lost and alone.

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According to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada, missing dementia patients have a 50 per cent survival rate if not found within the first 12 hours. In short, every time someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease disappears, finding them quickly becomes an emergency.

There are many avenues already available in such cases, including the use of Medic Alert bracelets and other identification tags.

The state of Georgia uses a public alert system called Mattie's Call, similar to Amber Alert system used for missing children. In Canada, police agencies are quick to issue missing persons reports for people suffering dementia.

The project may be among the first to be organized by a Canadian health agency but it is by no means a new concept. Personal tracking devices geared toward Alzheimer's disease patients are widely available for personal use.

As in the case with the use of any tracking system, there are those who raise the issue of personal privacy.

When a similar program was introduced in the U.K. last year, the National Pensioners Convention called it barbaric and compared it to the devices used to monitor criminals on house arrest.

"I think they should withdraw it straight away. Trying to equate somebody who has committed a criminal act with somebody who is suffering dementia is completely wrong," general secretary Dot Gibson told the Daily Mail.

"If you've got people in the community who are so bad that they are wandering off at night and are not safe, they should be properly cared for, they shouldn't be tagged."

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In North America, dementia support groups are generally open to the idea of tracking devices.

In the U.S., the Alzheimer's Association recommends their use, and identifies several approved agencies. The Alzheimer Society of Canada does not directly endorse the use of locating devices, but notes that families should consider the balance of independence and safety that their loved one would prefer.

"When you are deciding whether to use a locating device, consider the benefits, drawbacks and, safety needs. Keep in mind his lifelong values and wishes about personal freedom and dignity, independence and safety. How do you think she would feel about locating and/or other monitoring devices?" the group notes on its website. "The Alzheimer Society strongly encourages people recently diagnosed with dementia and their family members to have these discussions early as part of planning for the future."

The group further notes that the use of tracking device could lead family members and caregivers to check on the person with dementia less frequent, which could have an impact on his or her quality of life.

On top of that, there is the question of system fallibility to consider. No GPS device can be 100 per cent accurate all of the time. Device operators such as Comfort Zone, a recommended U.S. Alzheimer's GPS provider, warn of delays and occasional network disruptions.

Earlier this year, the London Free Press reported that local hospitals had lost about 1,500 electronic monitors over a 10-month period, due to patients leaving the hospital, forgetting to remove them, and leaving tracking zone. The result was the loss of about $100,000 in equipment.

Presumably, that won't be an issue for Alberta Health Services, which is proposing the use of actual GPS and not localized monitoring devices.

But it does indicate that, even when working with high-end tracking technology, nothing is perfect. And nothing should replace actual, human attention.

On the other hand, there's no reason not to make the technology available to those who want it. Alberta's pilot project with inevitably conclude with a recommended level of reliance. And its something health agencies in rest of Canada should note going forward.

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