People With Dementia To Be Fitted With Gps Tracking Devices,

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2317963/Barbaric-No-electronic-tags-godsend-Alzheimers-sufferers--carers.html

Is the fitting of electronic tags on dementia sufferers a good idea or is it barbaric?

[andy-hughes]

A good idea.

[anneasquith]

im sure the patient/family will discuss this before the tracking device is fitted,

[ummmm]

A good idea.

My nan managed to escape from her care home.

[Sqad]

Excellent idea......the police spend time on looking for these unfortunates when they could be performing more important duties.

[RATTER15]

Im not sure about this, I certainly think it is a good idea if the sufferer agrees to it, but they must be given the right to say no. Dementia sufferers are still permitted to take chances and make bad choices as are we.

[AB Editor]

It's all fine until someone manages to get theirs off and clips it on to a friendly cat or dog.

[pusskin]

good idea aog.
My nan went walkies years ago, and no one knew where she was, so yes I'm all for the tracking.

[Sqad]

Ed...LOL

I wonder if mental diseases occur in dogs or if it is just a disorder of homo sapiens.....

[ummmm]

I suppose it should depend what stage of dementia they have.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes Andy I can't understand how anyone could class it as barbaric, after all these devices are not large bulky devices as fitted around criminals ankles, it is said that they are small and can be attached to keys or on a chain around the neck.

To those families with a member who is likely to 'go walkies' not knowing were, they must be a blessing as well as saving police time and resources hunting for them.

[Sparkles62]

I think it is a wonderful idea, it must give their families/carers peace of mind that they can be easily located if they do wander off,
And the tags have a button on them that can be pressed by the wearer if they are lost or afraid, and they can talk to someone who can help and reassure them.

[RATTER15]

ummmm I agree, I think this would ideally need to be discussed with the individual and try to get an advance decision preferably before the dementia is too severe.

[McMouse]

Hope the proposed GPS is better than mine.......it keeps directing my car into fields.

[AB Editor]

"I wonder if mental diseases occur in dogs or if it is just a disorder of homo sapiens....."

Very old animals can "forget themselves" in a similar way. Might be projection on my part however.

I've known people who have had to fortify houses so the person with dementia doesn't wander off etc. I would say that is the more barbaric situation ... or it feels so when hammering in a new fence/gate for the purposes of containing someone - so they can continue to live in their own home.

[jim360]

I think the idea is good in principle as long as there's the element of choice. This was on the Today programme yesterday and from what I could hear the only real objection to it was some concern that this was a cover for the fact that social care funding is falling rapidly. Which, while almost certainly true, shouldn't stop this idea from being pursued.

[McMouse]

Ed.......my neighbours dog is barking.

[emmie]

i knew someone who had been tagged, she suffered from dementia and the family wanted to stop her wandering off. I am not sure that some couldn't remove it and place it on some poor unsuspecting person...

[woofgang]

an excellent idea. I doubt that the folk who it is intended for will be cognitively aware enough to "share" their new gizmo with the family cat or dog and it will mean more freedom for sufferers and their carers....not sure why anyone should think that its barbaric or demonising? In the past when I have visited a new town, I have use the GPS in my phone to mark where I left the car and find my way back to it, surely this is similar? Its also a much better option that the current ways of keeping people with alzheimers safe.

[woofgang]

and yes, animals do seem to get dementia and seem to display the same symptoms as humans.

[dollie65]

i dont think its barbaric at all carers are unable to watch their dementia patients 24/7 and the majority of patients do go walk a bout on their own and in some case are found dead because no one knows where they are....