It seems like every time I turn on the news this month, there’s another story about someone with Alzheimer’s wandering off and getting lost. I don’t think microchipping people is the answer. Frankly, the thought of something electronic being inserted beneath my skin creeps me out. However, I do think we need to look into some ways to protect our loved ones from slipping out of the house and getting hurt or lost.

When someone lives near the water, on a steep hill, or right beside a busy highway, the risk of injury for an Alzheimer’s patient gets much higher. Even our best efforts aren’t always enough, especially after we lock the doors for the night, get into bed and fall asleep. If we don’t hear our loved ones getting up, unlocking the door and leaving the house, they can be missing for eight hours or more before their disappearance is discovered. A few tips for keeping them from reaching and opening the front door without awakening you:

• Put a baby monitor in the Alzheimer’s patient’s room. The noises he or she makes getting up and leaving the room will probably awaken you.
• Use an alarm system on your house. It doesn’t have to necessarily plug into emergency services. It just has to go off if someone opens a door that shouldn’t be opening in the middle of the night.
• Use additional security measures, such as childproof locks and back up alarms on doors leading to potential hazard areas, such as the pool.

Finally, consider buying one of the new GPS tracking units. They are small enough to tuck into a pocket and last for five to seven days before they need to be recharged and I’ve seen some nice ones for under $250. Make sure the Alzheimer’s patient is wearing a GPS unit before you go out and if he or she does slip away for a stroll, you will be able to discover the location in minutes.

Posted by on 03.29.2007 • Uncategorized