Arizona’s first Silent Partner program launched early last week to assist in locating wandering adults with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
The partnership among East Valley Adult Resources, Care 7 of Tempe Social Services, Tempe Police and EmFinders was funded by a grant from the Tempe Community Foundation to provide at-risk adults with an EmFinders’ EmSeeQ device, a lightweight locator worn on the wrist.
When an individual wanders, their caregiver first calls 911 to alert police and then notifies EmFinders to activate the device’s tracking.
“(EmFinders and police) connect and we can locate the person within 30 feet of where they are,” President and CEO of EVAR Dan Taylor said. “It’s really remarkable technology.”
According to a police department press release, 13 adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia went missing in Tempe between Sept. 1, 2010, and Sept. 30 of this year. All were located.
Program coordinator at Care 7 Kristen Scharlau said there are 40 devices funded by the grant to be offered at no initial cost.
Care 7 will work in the field with Tempe Police to identify potential clients. Then they will be referred to EVAR to decide if they want to join the program.
The device will cost the family no money to procure, but they will be responsible for a $25 per month fee, like a cell phone bill, Scharlau said.
Scharlau stressed the technology is cell phone-based — not GPS.
“GPS technology isn’t always as reliable,” Scharlau said. “In parking garages and buildings, you lose the signal, rendering it useless.”
EmFinders co-founder Jim Nalley said the average time from when the device is activated to when the wanderer is brought home is 30 minutes.
“In Arizona and the Northeast, harsh weather conditions are so critical because it elevates the stress of the situation so much but we have had so much success,” he said, adding EmFinders has completed 80 rescues thus far in 2011.
Taylor said this partnership is almost two years in the making.
“When we sat down to discuss the situation, we realized there were no good resources available for both family and police to find lost family members when a situation arises,” Taylor said, adding they were looking for solutions to keep people independent longer.
“It will give them peace of mind and it’s a great safety tool,” Taylor said. “It’s going to allow people to stay at home longer, keeping their family together.”
Dan Lawler, development director for the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, said Alzheimer’s and dementia patients in Arizona face many of the same challenges of patients in other states but Arizona presents unique problems as well.
“A lot of Arizona is a dry desert so when someone wanders away, the consequences of being outside can be severe,” Lawler said, adding the physical and emotional stress on the missing could cause long-term effects.
Tempe Police Sgt. Steve Carbajal said the partnership should be successful because it includes every necessary player.
“We wanted to be inclusive by bringing all the stakeholders to the table,” Carbajal said. “We wanted to be collaborative.”
Nalley said EmFinders is excited about the partnership.
“We hope it will work well in their situation so we can expand into other parts of Arizona,” he said.
Reach the reporter at caitlin.cruz@asu.edu
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