Shoes With GPS Can Track Those With Alzheimer's

Jan 18, 2020 by apost team

Some 44 million people, 5.5 million of which are Americans, have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. 

With sufferers having the frightening tendency to wander off, a Japanese company has created a GPS tracker that is inserted into shoes to help prevent those with the condition from getting lost. 

The nearly 16 million family caregivers tasked with caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia have a full-time job on their hands.

Caretakers may be responsible for meals, medications, dressing, personal hygiene, and other activities involved in everyday living. That’s not even factoring in medical appointments and therapies.

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Then, there’s the evolving task of ensuring your loved one stays safe 24/7. As a progressive disease, Alzheimer’s symptoms include confusion, irritation, disorientation, and wandering which continue to worsen over time.

Eventually, your loved one’s disoriented wandering is likely to become a danger to themselves or others. They’re oblivious to the risks of getting lost outside, meandering onto busy roadways, or walking away from you in a crowd.

A Japanese company has developed a solution to help caretakers mitigate wandering risks and be assured of a way to relocate their loved ones when they do stray, as reported on here at The Financial Times.

GPS devices aren’t anything new. They can be made to fit anything from a smartphone or watch to a piece of jewelry. The problem is that the user (person with Alzheimer’s) often doesn’t remember to wear/bring such things with them as they wander, so the manufacturer decided to put the GPS tracker in something everyone tends to put on when they leave their home - shoes.

As of now, these shoes cost around $300 USD per pair. 

What do you think about having a GPS tracker in shoes? Don’t forget to pass this article along to anyone you think would benefit from the info.