In general cases, in spite of medical efforts, Alzheimer‘s disease (AD) gradually
gets worse over time, affecting patient’s memory, thinking, and behavior more
and more. People that are affected have known to have a tendency to wander
around, either around the house or even outside, away from their family and
friends. It is common for them to become disoriented and not find their way
back home.
There are multiple developed applications for dedicated positioning
devices, which help to locate the missing person and return him/her home
safely. The application, developed for Android Smartphones, is designed to
assist caregiver to locate the wondering or lost Alzheimer’s patient fast and
efficiently.
The system uses any Android phone, currently
available on the market that the patient always carries with him. To assure
that the phone will not be lost or misplaced, it should be secure attached to
the clothes, or maybe even sewn into a pocket.
The phone updates a web-based database of patient’s
position approximately every 10 minutes, using the built-in GPS. If the
wanderer does not return when expected, the caregiver or family member may simply
log-in and check the developers’ website for the patient’s current location. There
might be several “watchers” assigned to the same account, so this check can be
performed by any registered account user.
The solution however will require some monetary
investment. First, you need to purchase an Android smart phone with a small
data plan for the patient. Then you can download a free ALZ-locate app from the
Android Market and install it on this device. Then you can register as a
watcher and get other involved in caregiving people registered as watchers too.
While the application is free to install, the use is
associated with certain fee - $20 for 2-year plan.
Before buying the service plan, you get two weeks of free trial to see if it works for you. After two years you will be able to extend the service for 2 more years paying another $20.
Before buying the service plan, you get two weeks of free trial to see if it works for you. After two years you will be able to extend the service for 2 more years paying another $20.
If you decide later to stop using the app, or you
would like to switch to another utility, you can un-install it from the phone
at any time.
Video Presentation:
Developers’ website: http://www.alz-locate.com/web/ALZhome.php
Android Market site: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.tradersmicro.alzlocate&hl=en
System requirements: Android 1.5 and later
