Rise in autism, Alzheimer's boosts need for tracking devices

Jackson Kastner was known around town as his mama's little duckling. The autistic 4-year-old followed Melissa Kastner everywhere she went.

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But on March 27, after unloading groceries, Kastner turned and saw that Jackson was gone. Less than three hours later, authorities recovered his body from a nearby river . Like others with autism, he had wandered away.

The problem of wandering is getting more attention as autism diagnoses increase and the number of people living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia continues to grow, said experts.

Several tracking devices, such as radio wristbands, have cropped up in recent years, touted as offering peace of mind for parents like Kastner of Monroe, Mich., and people like Doris Gunter who care for someone with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The Detroiter's 71-year-old father, L.J. Blevins, left their backyard in July and is still missing.

The devices promise a quick and safe return of a loved one who has wandered away.

Kastner said a tracking device could have saved Jackson's life.

"If I would have known about some device that would have tracked him, I would have used it," she said. "I would take out a loan to do it."

GPS, radio add tracking tech to find wanderers(AT)

Lori McIlwain, executive director of the National Autism Association, is trying to get insurance companies to cover the devices. Children with autism who wander, she said, are drawn to water for the rhythmic sound or the enveloping feeling of being in the water. Drowning is a leading cause of death in people with autism.

"Wandering is a medical issue, not a mental issue," she said.

Comfort Zone and other GPS devices let caregivers set a range that a wanderer can travel -- the backyard, for instance. McIlwain calls it geofencing. Once the person leaves that perimeter, a text message alerts the caregiver, said Ramesh Srinivasan, a senior vice president at MedicAlert. The caregiver can call police if necessary.

"It's peace of mind (for caregivers) because they aren't there all the time," Srinivasan said.

But McIlwain said she is wary of GPS devices. They are newer, she said, and don't yet have the reliability record of radio devices like Project Lifesaver and LoJack's SafetyNet.

Cass County Sheriff's Capt. Lyndon Parrish said once the department received Project Lifesaver equipment, every deputy was trained in tracking the bracelets, which beep on a specific frequency. When the department is called about a missing person who wears a bracelet, deputies put on headphones, tune to the person's frequency and begin the search, listening for the beep. Parrish said nine to 12 people in the county have bracelets.

Project Lifesaver Chief of Operations Tommy Carter said the program has rescued about 2,400 people. The company's recovery rate, he said, is 100(PERCENT).

"The average search time is about 30 minutes," Carter said.

The expense can be an issue. Average startup costs for communities looking at Project Lifesaver are about $3,900, Carter said. Comfort Zone costs a family about $200 for the device, and between $20 and $50 for the monthly monitoring by MedicAlert.

Ask before you buy

For information about devices that track people who wander, call your local Area Agency on Aging or your autism, Alzheimer's or dementia society.

Here are some things to consider before buying a tracking device:

Battery life: How often does the battery need to be charged? How will you monitor your loved one while it charges?

Water resistance: Can the unit be worn while bathing or swimming?

Range: Can a geographic limit be set?

Assistance: Is the unit connected to emergency response or will you have to call police yourself?

Cost: Is there a monthly fee or setup charge? What are equipment charges?


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