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Best trackers for lost loved ones with dementia
I am planning ahead and need some guidance. I am caregiver for both my mom and husband. We all live together since my father died late last year. I am concerned about how to find them if one of them wanders off. What trackers have you found that work for locating lost loved ones? I like the idea of medical ID bracelets as well and have been following that forum question as well.
Thanks so much!
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HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Caregivers: Dementia Support Group.
Four years ago, My husband wore a TheoraLink watch for a while. It was a reasonably good tracker. Part of the challenge was ensuring my husband would keep it on. A benefit of the watch was that he could call me using the watch by simply pushing a button. I could call him using the watch. The watch could only receive calls from allowed phone numbers which was a relief to avoid spam. It was a pricey watch and requires a monthly fee.
I suspect you could get comparable results with an Apple Watch.
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2 ReactionsI know some people use Apple Airtags and put one in their LO's wallet so they can track them with the FindMy app on their iPhone.
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6 ReactionsAirtags can also be placed on shoes, belt loops, and other garments. The trick, of course, is to be creative / ingenious so that the wearer will not locate it and remove it.
/LarryG
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4 ReactionsIs there a monthly fee with AirTag?
Our local sheriff’s department has a program that provides a bracelet or ankle monitor to help find someone with dementia or special needs. I have not used it, but know people who did. I put a medical ID bracelet on my husband’s wrist. It’s not easy to remove so he’s never taken it off. It has his name & my phone number and the words “mental impairment”. I also bought a Care Smart Watch through Verizon that has GPS & phone and he can call us, if he can remember how, and numbers entered into his phone can call him. I was not always pleased with the watch and really he is now past the point of my worrying about his wandering. Too weak.
Just got hubby a watch from life station. Monthly fee. If he needs help he pushes watch and they talk to him through the watch. I have a phone number they gave me where I can text just 2 words Find John. The text gets back to me with location where hubby is. I’ll be more relieved when he gives up his car.