科技英语新闻:GPS tracking device gives Australians with dementia greater independence

CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Alzheimer Australia on Monday released a GPS device for people with dementia, in a move to give them greater independence, while reducing the burden of missing person searches for police.

The technology has been using in New South Wales of Australia, and is now available for people in state Victoria.

The Safe2Walk locater can be worn by people with dementia on a lanyard around the neck or clipped onto a belt. Families can log- on to the connected website and see where the person is.

The device updates the person's location every 60 seconds, reducing stress for carers so they know when a person with dementia might be wandering.

It also works as a mobile phone, letting the person wearing the device to make instant calls to family.

According to Alzheimer's Australia's research manager Jason Burton, the device aimed to stop vulnerable people getting lost, with research showing about 40 percent of people with dementia went missing at least once.

"In 99 percent of cases the carer has gone to pick them up, but there was one case where they couldn't and the police were able to contact us to get the exact GPS location of this person to rescue them," Burton told Herald Sun.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said while it could not endorse a specific product, if the device could alert carers when a person with dementia first became disorientated, the response could help avoid a large-scale police search.

Mina Sapounakis, who's father has worn the Safe2Walk device, said it has given her family a sense of calm.

"We could go grocery shopping without stressing and rushing back home quickly to check on Dad," she said.

"There were a few times he had gone wandering and we were able to easily find him without having to call the police."

The Safe2Walk GPS costs under 15 U.S. dollars a week for rent.