New Wristband Keeps Alzheimer’s Patients Safe

With November being Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and World Alzheimer’s Day already behind us, if you know or care for someone with Alzheimer’s, a new product hopes to ease your mind a little when thinking (or worrying) about your loved one. One of the worst parts of watching someone go through the agonizing emotional stress of losing their cognition is the constant worry that they will harm themselves or others by driving down the street the wrong way, leaving doors unlocked, or simply by walking away and not being able to find his or her path back home.

In Alzheimer’s patients you typically see disorientation, confusion, and sometimes anger because they don’t know where or who they are and frustration takes over, making them want to flee. The dangers involved with patients wandering away are endless, which is why EmFinders has stepped in to help out. EmFinders is a company that specializes in tracking devices with the slogan: Locate the Lost.

The EmSeeQ is a watch-like band the Alzheimer’s patient wears—although it is also useful for those suffering from Down syndrome, dementia, autism, or any other cognitively impaired individual—allowing the caregiver and the local police or emergency services to locate the person immediately upon realizing they are missing.

Although there is not yet a cure for Alzheimer’s, there are over 5 million Americans living with this disease and the Alzheimer's Association estimates that every 70 seconds another person gets diagnosed. Alzheimer’s is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and the hope of the Alzheimer’s Association and helpful companies like EmFinders is that more light be shined on this tragic condition.

A good majority of people living with the disease will become increasingly frustrated with themselves and their caregivers. This leads to violent outbursts or surprising exclamations due to the inability to communicate what they want to say or do because their mind is preventing them from understanding the present world around them.

The CEO of EmFinders, Jim Nalley, hopes that the wristband will be of help for more than just the patient and touts the efficiency of the tracking device inside the band, “The EmFinders EmSeeQ has been thoroughly tested with the nationwide 911 system and has proven to be accurate and reliable.  We are excited to provide caregivers with the peace of mind and independence knowing that their loved ones will be recovered quickly should they wander or get lost.”
 
EmFinders stresses that their band is powered by a location technology similar to cell phone coverage that is not GPS, allowing individuals to be found in obstructed areas. The EmSeeQ band is also as affordable as many cell phones currently on the market. For the independent person living with Alzheimer’s who still has occurring relevant thoughts, there is a removable wristband that can be used in case of emergency. For the person who has no cognitive faculties left in order to decide whether or not to wear it on their own, Nalley says there is another option, “EmFinders has developed a two-handed clasp band that helps prevent the wearer from removing the EmFinders EmSeeQ….the two-handed band version has to be removed by the caregiver.”

Thr EmSeeQ band can be worn for up to a week without recharging and the device cost is around $200 dollars, plus a monthly service charge of about $25 dollars; a small price to pay for nationwide protection and peace of mind.