Help For Some Elderly

This is a good thing.

From the Iron Mtn Daily News

Project Lifesaver set to begin in Florence County
December 6, 2010 - By THERESA PETERSON, Staff Writer

FLORENCE, Wis. - Members of the Florence County Sheriff's Office have been trained for an international program now available in this area.

As members of Project Lifesaver International, they will provide a program dedicated to safeguarding and locating individuals who may wander and become lost due to Alzheimer's disease, dementia, autism, down syndrome and related conditions.

As a result of the efforts of volunteers and contributions from the Helen Bader Foundation and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, Florence County Human Services Department and Florence County Aging Department, the Florence County Sheriff's Office is now able to make this program available to vulnerable citizens.

Project Lifesaver is designed to provide security and comfort for the family while safe guarding the memory-impaired and those who are least able to help themselves.

"We have an elderly population in Florence County and there has been success with this program nationwide," said Chief Deputy David Gribble.

State-of-the-art personalized radio transmitters are assigned to people who are at risk of wandering away from their homes and becoming lost.

This radio transmitter is the size of a wristwatch and provides a constant radio signal.

It is lightweight, water proof and the batteries are changed with the assistance of trained Project Lifesaver personnel on a monthly basis.

The radio wrist transmitter emits an automatic tracking signal every second, 24 hours a day. Each transmitter has a unique radio frequency.

In the event a client wanders and becomes lost, the caregiver will call 911 and the trained personnel will be dispatched to the last known location.