GPS shoes for Alzheimer's patients

Alzheimer's patients are to be located on GPS shoes

10/25/2011

With special GPS shoes, Alzheimer's patients should be traceable at any time in the future. The unplanned, sometimes extremely risky trips of the mentally disturbed can be avoided in this way henceforth, so the promise of the US manufacturing companies.

Again and again, patients suffering from Alzheimer's spontaneously leave their usual environment without accompaniment and err in a confused state. GPS transmitters in shoes could potentially prevent the sudden disappearance of Alzheimer's patients in the future. In this way, the safety of Alzheimer's patients could be significantly improved. Corresponding shoes of an American manufacturer are currently close to the market launch.

3,000 pairs of GPS shoes for Alzheimer's patients already deployedrt
According to the plans of the GPS company GTX Corp and the shoe manufacturer Aetrex Worldwide, the GPS shoes for Alzheimer's patients will be introduced to the American market for the time being and allow the detection of the disappeared Alzheimer's patients at any time. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a good way to protect the victims of neurodegenerative disease from the potential risks of unplanned trips, said the US manufacturers. Starting in October, the shoes with the satellite tracking system in the sales for the price of about $ 300 in the US be available. As GTX Corp reported, the first 3,000 pairs of shoes have already been delivered to Aetrex Worldwide.

High-tech shoes are designed to increase the safety of Alzheimer's patients
The principle of GPS shoes is relatively straightforward, according to Andrew Carle of George Mason University (USA). With the aid of the location system, a kind of virtual fence can be pulled around the home of Alzheimer's patients, and as soon as the shoes leave the intended area, an alarm is triggered on a cell phone or computer intended for this, Carle explained. The relatives and nurses can then immediately locate the missing Alzheimer's patients on a dedicated portal. Andrew Carle advised GTX Corp and Aetrex Worldwide on the development of the GPS shoe. The placement of the transmitter in the heel of the shoes offers, according to the expert an additional advantage, because here the Alzheimer's patients do not notice this. A simple GPS arm or collar, however, is not a solution, as patients often remove unfamiliar objects, explained Andrew Carle. Because often go „Paranoia associated with Alzheimer's.“ Get the patients „a watch they take off (this one) because it is not theirs,“ Carle continues. Therefore, it is necessary to hide the GPS from the Alzheimer's patients.

Health risks in unplanned trips of Alzheimer's patients
According to the experts, unplanned trips to the public are often a considerable risk for patients with Alzheimer's disease, because it is not uncommon for the mentally disturbed to endanger themselves. So help the novel system not only in the interests of those affected „embarrassing moments“ but could even save lives, stressed Andrew Carle. According to the US scientist, the GPS shoes are first and foremost „for Alzheimer's patients in the early stages“ especially suitable as these „may still be living at home, but already confused“ are therefore particularly at risk. The affected „just go for a walk - and get lost for days,“ explained Carle. This happened to 60 percent of Alzheimer's patients at least once in the course of their disease, the expert said. For those affected, this is associated with a health risk that should not be underestimated, since they are not in a position to take care of themselves. Even vital actions, such as eating and drinking, are forgotten. Thus, after one day, there is a risk of dehydration, with the affected persons threatening health consequences such as dizziness, tachycardia, feeling weak and, in the worst case, a collapse of the cardiovascular system and fainting.

Also, there is a significantly increased risk of accidents for Alzheimer's patients, as they are no longer able to estimate everyday situations properly, said Andrew Carle. The novel high-tech shoes are intended to remedy this situation. With more than five million people already suffering from Alzheimer's disease in the US alone, and Andrew Carle estimates that the number of those affected could quadruple over the next few decades, US manufacturers are hoping for a rousing sale of GPS footwear. However, they will not change the disease status of those affected and thus the medical benefit remains questionable, even if the GPS shoes may increase the safety of Alzheimer's patients. It is also unclear why those affected should put on their GPS shoes when leaving the living environment, where they forget the most common actions and sometimes leave only in pajamas or even naked the house. (Fp)

Also read:
Walks protect against Alzheimer's
Dementia and Alzheimer's
Dementia: A growing social problem
Dementia: holistic treatment approach
Overmedication of dementia patients

Picture: Gerd Altmann