You don’t mind those in charge using GPS to track your stolen car or mobile phone, but what about your granny who has dementia? Two UK geriatric specialists debated the pros and cons of using personal GPS devices to monitor the whereabouts of elderly patients with dementia, in a set of commentaries published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
In the UK, dementia isn’t just taking over the mental health of individuals at alarming rate, but also the country’s financial wellness. In 2012, the financial burden of the disease was over £23 billion, and experts believe this number will rise as baby boomers age. In the next eight years, it is estimated that 200,000 more of us will develop dementia, meaning that the disease will affect over one million people in this country alone. 60 to 80% of cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia.
When a loved one has dementia, taking care of their wellbeing can be a challenge, as dementia sufferers commonly go wandering and can lose track of where they are. Referencing one of his own studies, psychiatrist Dr. Rupert McShane of Oxford University commented, ‘Half of all people with dementia who are missing for more than 24 hours die or are seriously injured.’ He noted that 40% of dementia patients get lost at some point, but 5% do so repeatedly, which can cause resentment between caretakers and dementia sufferers. Dr. McShane argued that GPS trackers, whether in wristbands or on mobile phone apps, can reduce this conflict.
However, according to Dr. Desmond O’Neill, a professor of geriatric medicine at Trinity College Dublin, trackers objectify and disempower those with the disease. Not only are they unnecessary in 60% of patients – meaning that people may use them even when they aren’t needed – but the trackers could cause complacency and a false sense of security in caregivers, he argued. What if the device fails or the patient removes it? Dr. O’Neill concluded, ‘The key goal of good dementia care is to interpret and respond to what is driving the wandering.’ He added a better system would be based on reciprocal messaging, ‘with lamps that light with motion transmitted from both the patient’s and the carer’s homes.’
