Geolocation device for dementia people

The geolocalizer is a measure that favors the finding of missing persons affected by neuro-degenerative pathologies. Practice conceived and formalized through an agreement signed in collaboration between the Prefecture, the Municipalities of Forlì, Cesena and Savignano and the Unions of the Municipalities of Romagna Forlivese, Valle del Savio and Rubicone Mare, Ausl Romagna, the Penelope Onlus association, the association The Magic Network and the Caima association. A GPS system will indicate the location of the missing person through a ‘sim’ card. ”

The memorandum of understanding provides for the free supply of Alzheimer’s patients with a GPS locator, capable of making the person who wears it traceable in a few minutes. ”

After the delivery of the GPS tracker, family members will have the opportunity to constantly monitor the patients in two ways: independently via the Internet or by contacting the operations center of the company that will supply the trackers, open 24 hours a day. In the event of difficulties relating to tracing the patient,  the normal intervention protocol will be activated it will be up to the operations center the responsibility of sending a detailed card to the police with a photo of the missing person in order to allow a faster search activity.

In September 2019 this initiative has been also tested in Perugia and in particular on 18 September 2019 a Protocol agreement was signed by the Prefecture of  Prefettura di Perugia, Umbria Region, Local Health Units and Penelope Association of Missing people to cooperate each other in the use of the geolocalizer. This device will be activated 24 hours on 24 on patients with pathologies of cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. These devices, already available, will allow in case of disappearance to activate immediately and in a coordinated way all the search procedures, involving all the facilities for emergency services.

Patients have been identified by the services of the local health Units (USL)  to take advantage of this device on the basis of their anamnesis, previous episodes of removal and the severity of the affections. In addition, before the delivery of the devices, all instructions and news on how the devices will work will be provided to patients’ family members and reference subjects.

It is selected a good practice as this device can improve the life of people taking care of dementia sufferers.

GPS devices allow constant monitoring of the patient and make family members more peaceful.   In the framework of D-CARE this equipment can be indicated and illustrated in the KIT IO5, in order to provide guidance for dementia people to be more indipendent in their daily life (respect) and to support caregivers in having more quality in their life (respite) .

Even the Prefector Claudio Sgaraglia has highlithed the appreciation for the project from the side of the Special Commissioner of the Italian Government for Missing people who aims at providing diffusion of this initiative as good practice.