Those who care for a person with dementia often worry that they might wander away or become lost. Indeed, there are many horror stories in the press about people with dementia who have gone missing – and it’s not uncommon for family carers to find themselves in a state of anxiety over this. Tracking devices are an increasingly popular tool to address this problem and a range of options exist.These devices work by allowing family and caregivers to locate the person with dementia by sending them an alert.  dementia wandering at night They usually use a cellular network and will need to have a good level of coverage in the area that the person with dementia lives or goes to regularly.Some trackers are designed to look like a small pendant, while others look more like a smart watch or shoe liner. They will normally be paired with an app on a smartphone which allows you to view the location of the person. Some have the ability to set up a geo-fence zone that will automatically trigger an alert to you or someone else whenever the person with dementia moves out of a specified geographical area. tracker for dementia patients It is important to remember that the use of a tracking device should only be considered in light of the person’s own preferences, wishes and lifelong values regarding personal freedom, privacy and safety.  dementia tracking device The Alzheimer Society recommends that discussions should take place between the person with dementia and his or her family and professional caregivers at the time of diagnosis.