Hi everyone,
My sister, whose husband is suffering from vascular dementia, asked me the other day for my opinion on GPS tracking as she was wondering if it might be a good idea.
Although her husband is also sight impaired, he's still managing a daily walk on his own to local shops, and she wants him to have that little bit of independence for as long as he can, but is terrified every time he seems to take a little longer to return than she thinks is reasonable.
I don't have the most balanced view on this as I strongly believe it's a good idea, and I've told my family to fit one to me if I start to lose cognition, and I'd even be happy to be microchipped.
But I do know there are less radical views about it.
I've heard people say that it's a loss of dignity and personal freedom and of course it is for the average person, but in the case of dementia I'd give that the blame, not the tracker. I do know it's possible that it could be used for nefarious purposes, as in pinning down the location of someone who is away from their home in order to target it for some reason, by strangers or unscrupulous family members, but still, on balance, I'd far rather know that a tracker could locate me in the event of my going missing.
My police officer daughter tells me it's a really common thing for dementia sufferers to go missing and that it mostly doesn't hit the news unless some unfortunate person has got hopelessly lost and has died of exhaustion and exposure. And I did watch a very interesting documentary about a lady who'd gone missing, only to eventually be found deceased. It was very distressing and sad.
I think it would take a lot to change my strong view on this, but what do other members of our community think? Has anyone else any experience of using a tracker, or of a loved one wandering off and causing worry? I'd really like to give my sister a view that's perhaps based on experience or on a variety of opinions.
Hello Callendersgal, what a good point you make. My late mother-in-law had vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s and used to like to walk into the town. On one particular day she became confused as to how to get home. Luckily a very kind couple helped her and all was well.
I did know of one gentleman though who wasn’t as fortunate and vanished from his home only to be found deceased a few days later. Very sad.
I feel a tracker of some sort is a very good idea and could save distress and lives. Thank you for raising that point. Xxxx
Hi sassy59,
It was really interesting to hear that you'd had a scare with your late mother-in-law when she'd become confused. It shows that you don't have to look far before you find someone who has actually experienced this, and sad to hear that you actually knew someone whose outcome from becoming confused and lost was so final.
My daughter was explaining police search procedures for a dementia victim and said that, based on long experienced, they know the lost and confused person will just go on walking and walking until they literally drop from exhaustion. A horrible thought.
So I'm really pleased to have my view confirmed that overall, trackers are a good thing and not just an invasive loss of freedom and privacy. I truly believe that it's the disorder that is the culprit here, not the equipment we need to use to keep the ones we care for safe.
Thanks so much for your input.
That’s fine Callendersgal, my son is a police officer so would agree with what your daughter said too. It’s awful to think that lives are being lost needlessly. The tracker sounds like a way forward to me.
Enjoy your weekend. Xxxx