Personal GPS Trackers

Coronavirus has unfortunately placed a much higher risk on dementia wanderers. Preventing wandering is now more important than ever, to save lives as well as prevent an unnecessary burden on police and NHS resources.

Two thirds of dementia patients will go missing at least once this year. If not found within 24 hours, up to half could suffer serious injury or death.

The risk of Coronavirus and Covid-19 for Dementia patients unfortunately makes the situation a lot worse.

When someone starts wandering from dementia, it can be terrifying

It can be a stark reminder of how easy it is to take someone for granted, when they start forgetting simple things. They might not realise or accept what they're doing or forgetting, and present with excuses, defensiveness, fear or anger. As a friend or relative, you'll also have to start planning ahead for various scenarios, balancing their personal freedom with safety, and dealing with other family members who might be anxious themselves. It can be a very difficult time, and a lot to suddenly have to manage. You might also want to learn more about dementia and wandering.Alzheimer's Research UK is a great place to start, with user-friendly information broken down into simple categories. Mental Health Foundation and Dementia Health offer useful overviews.

We can't prevent wandering, but we can provide some peace of mind

We've specialised in dementia trackers, and trackers for elderly wanderers for over ten years. The unique functionality of our Stray Star GPS Dementia Tracker is the perfect solution for anyone at risk of wandering or becoming lost. It's small, water-proof, tamper-proof, discrete, and will give an accurate GPS location whenever you need it. You don't need to live anywhere near the person you're locating, but someone will need to charge it every few days. We make this easier with a simple 'drop in' charging cradle.

You can read 12 Amazing Features for Dementia of our GPS Dementia Tracker here.

Setting up your GPS Dementia Tracker is easy

You'll have a step-by-step guide to setting up your GPS Dementia Tracker, which only takes a few minutes. Activating the pre-installed SIM card costs £10, but gives you £15 of credit in total - whenever the device texts you a location, it will cost 10p from the SIM's credit. There's also a £6pm option which includes call time and 300 texts. There are no other costs, subscriptions, monthly charges etc, and nothing more to pay us once you've purchased your device. You can then text the device from wherever you are to set up various alert phone numbers and useful functions. Read more about the cheap SIM costs here.

What else do you need to track someone with Dementia?

Aside from the Stray Star GPS Dementia Tracker, the only other thing you'll need is an internet enabled phone. You'll still be able to receive alert text messages on an older style phone if the person wanders too far or presses the SOS button. You can also still have two-way conversations if the SOS button is pressed, or if you call the GPS dementia tracker. You just won't be able to see an up-to-date location directly from your phone (which can obviously be useful if you're out on the move looking for someone who is lost).

Getting GPS Locations if the person with Dementia becomes lost

Locating your dementia tracker couldn't be easier:

• Get a location whenever you need one: Send a text message from your mobile phone to the GPS Dementia Tracker, and get an instant Goole Map link by reply.
• If the person wanders too far - beyond a distance you set, receive an immediate text alert.
• See the location online - log in or open an app to see where the dementia tracker is now, and where it has been (this is optional, and involves setting up a free account).

Other alerts when GPS Tracking for dementia or elderly wanderers

If the wearer presses the SOS button, receive an immediate text and phone call (this can also be disabled). If they fall, you can also receive a text alert (it has a small motion sensor inside). Change the alert number(s) at any time via text.

Two way calling and remote listening

Call the device for a two-way conversation - it will answer automatically, so the person with dementia doesn't need to do anything. You can also disable the speaker on the device, if you only want to listen in to the surroundings. Read more about two-way calling & remote listening here.

Flexibility allows easy caring in care-homes

Our GPS trackers for dementia and elderly wanderers are often bought by or for care homes, where residents have freedom to wander outside the boundaries but may be at risk of becoming lost. As the alert numbers (for SOS or wandering too far) can be set via text, whoever's on 'lookout' can easily be set at the start of their shift, unless the care home has a dedicated mobile phone for this purpose. Care staff also need to then ensure that the device is regularly charged either every few days, or every night as part of a routine. You can read about getting the support of care homes here.

Peace of mind with excellent customer service

When buying our Stray Star GPS Dementia Tracker, you can be assured of great after-care! We regularly help customers who might get stuck, want to figure out a best way of dealing with a quirky situation, have lost their manual, have somehow damaged the case of their GPS Tracker, and many other one-off needs. We've been dedicated purely to providing GPS Trackers for dementia, Alzheimer's and elderly wanderers for over ten years, so understand the issues that might crop up. We want to make sure you're making best use of your GPS Tracker, so provide a full online information portal for customers with lots of extra tips and troubleshooting guides (although rest assured, most customers get on just fine!)

User-friendliness for dementia, Alzheimer's or elderly users

Our Stray Star GPS Tracker for dementia cannot be easily switched off - there is a hidden trick to it so that only the carers can power it down (you'll be surprised how many devices have a huge power button easily able to be pressed by fiddly fingers!) The LEDs can be disabled via text without changing the functionality of the device, to make it less distracting for the wearer. Its water-proof so can be worn in a shower or dropped in a puddle (we don't recommend they go through washing machines due to the prolonged heat, but they have even survived this). They can be easily carried as a pendant (a lanyard strap is included), as a keyring (a keyring loop is also included) or worn in a purpose-made optional velcro pouch around an arm, wrist, ankle or belt.

Limitations of dementia or Alzheimer's trackers

Our GPS Tracker for dementia relies on GPS signal to be able to get a location - which can be less accurate or not available if the device is deep indoors (e.g. in a shopping mall, hospital or other large building) away from a window, or sometimes when there's really bad cloud coverage. The vast majority of the time though it will be fine, especially when outside (when someone is wandering for example). They also rely on the mobile phone signal to transmit their location via text. So you need to ensure that you have a good signal where you'll be using it (the pre-installed SIMs are from GiffGaff, who use the o2 network, although you can use any network SIM except "3"). Also, if a local mast tower becomes faulty, then it may prevent texts from getting through. This is rare, and they are normally fixed quickly, but it's just something else to be aware of - and not something can be avoided with any GPS Tracker unfortuately. As you may have noticed - we're fully upfront and wanting to ensure you have the best information available! If you're not sure of anything, just get in touch.

Learn more or buy our GPS Dementia Tracker today - with no risk

We're so sure you'll find our Stray Star GPS Dementia Tracker incredibly useful that we can't wait for you to try it. The feedback we receive is always positive. If for any reason though you aren't happy, or you can't persuade the person to keep an eye on to wear it - then don't worry, you have 7 days from receiving it to let us know and set up a return. We're a friendly team, and are always here to help.

A GPS Tracker is an assistive device only: there are important limitations to be aware of

A GPS Tracker can of course be immensely useful when a person becomes lost, but it should never be relied upon to encourage a person to go wandering who would be in danger without one.

A GPS Tracker relies on a few factors to be able to give you a location, any of which could become a barrier:

• The mobile network signal, which could always drop out in more rural areas or if there's a local mast tower fault (which could happen at any time).
• SIM credit - you can select your SIM credit to top-up automatically, but if its allowed to deplete then it will stop responding to texts.
• Battery power, and sufficient charging. If a fault should develop with charging apparatus or battery, the device could power down quicker than expected.
• GPS reception can be lost in certain conditions - within large buildings, heavy cloud cover or tall surrounding buildings or trees.
• The person carrying it - whether you attach it to keys, a handbag, jacket, there's always a chance they could leave without it.

These are just things to be aware of though. When someone is elderly, has dementia or Alzheimer's and is at risk of wandering, our GPS Tracker is still a useful back-up device to greatly improve the likelihood of locating them quickly.

GPS Dementia Trackers allow you to receive instant map locations to your phone, to know when and where your loved one has wandered. Tracking dementia and Alzheimer's patients can also allow you to learn their routine walking routes, and offer peace of mind should they become lost.

GPS Elderly Trackers offer a range of benefits. The Trackers are waterproof, tamperproof, offer an SOS (panic) button should your elderly relative become confused, and also two-way calling. Yes - they're also like very simple mini-mobile phones!

Fall Detectors make great use of built-in motion-tracking functionality - if the wearer falls, the device will trigger a text alert to be sent to up to three carers. They can also call-out by pressing the button in an emergency.

We offer a perfectly flexible small personal GPS Tracker for people to carry, and a larger, sturdier Vehicle GPS Tracker. Both are intended for people who may be at risk or vulnerable. Click on the button to learn more, or to make a purchase today.