Protecting elderly loved ones sometimes comes down to a choice – explain the hospital-looking bracelet on the wrist, or risk having to identify them at the morgue.
For Chief Gene Saunders, president of Project Lifesaver, it’s a simple choice: Take the bracelet.
Inside that bracelet, which can be secured around the wrist or ankle, is a tracker that can be monitored using radio telemetry.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office announced this week its new partnership with Project Lifesaver to bring the program to all residents in need – even those living in municipalities – at no cost.
“We found we were not very good in recovering” wandering Alzheimer’s patients, Saunders said prior to the launch of Project Lifesaver. But, those at risk for wandering can get a free tracking bracelet through the program, which allows law enforcement to quickly engage in a search and find them before they succumb to the elements or worse.
It is the most widely used and most effective program in the nation designed to protect these at-risk populations. Designed initially for those diagnosed with dementia, Project Lifesaver has expanded its program to include those on the autism spectrum, particularly for children at risk of wandering and not able to communicate.
Children on the autism spectrum between the ages of 7 and 10 are the most likely to wander, according to statistics provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Roughly half of all children with autism wander at some point from a safe environment – and, of those, more than one third are rarely able to communicate their name, address or phone number.
Saunders said parents are quicker to recognize the need for a system for their child than caregivers typically are for their elders with Alzheimer’s.
“There’s a sense of deniability,” Saunders said when it comes to acknowledging seniors’ wandering.
“I ask them, how many times do you want them to do that?” Saunders said of allowing their elderly charge to wander. At some point, it will be their last wandering.
Six in 10 seniors with Alzheimer’s will wander and they may not remember his or her name or address, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
If not found within 24 hours, up to half of individuals who wander will suffer serious injury or death.
“Our community is not immune to tragedy with wanderers,” Sheriff Ken Mascara said. “This is a tragedy that affects all communities.”
With Project Lifesaver, though, the sheriff hopes to further cut the risk that wandering will result in tragedy.
Saunders said their trackers and partnerships with local law enforcement agencies have drastically cut down the lag time in responding and locating, from what could be days or hours to a mere half-hour.
The tracking tools allow searchers to hone in on the bracelet’s frequency by land and air. The band has a 1-mile radius on land and a 3- or 5-mile radius in the air.
And if a search helicopter isn’t available? “They drone,” Saunders said, pointing to one of the Project Lifesaver drones.
He said it’s the only drone in the world that performs this function.
In the coming weeks, the Sheriff’s Office will be undergoing training on how to use the tracking equipment before the program officially rolls out.
Anyone interested in protecting their loved one – be they elderly with dementia or young with autism – is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office to get started on the registration process. To do so, call 772-871-5303.