Do you know about Project Lifesaver for wandering?

Posted: February 12, 2019, 9:15AM

Project Lifesaver was founded in 1999 in Chesapeake VA by a local police captain, Gene Saunders. The program is designed to help family members locate a loved one who wanders. Project Lifesaver has helped those with dementia, autism and other cognitive disorders.

The person who is enrolled receives a waterproof transmitter which emits a radio signal. They wear the device on their wrist or ankle, and if the person wanders off, police are notified of the last known location and using triangulation, they locate the radio signal on the transmitter. Over 1300 sheriff and police agencies throughout North American and Austrailia participate in the Project Lifesaver program.

The program is reportedly more effective than GPS tracking as you aren't going to get a signal inside a building or in bad weather. With the Project Lifesaver transmitters, you hear a beep and the device leads searchers to the person.

For more information on Project Lifesaver and to find a program near you, go to projectlifesaver.org.

Source: Brain & Life, Neurology for Everyday Living, December 2018/January 2019