The Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago offers its Comfort Zone GPS system, a cellphone-size device designed to be carried in a pocket.
But Beth Kallmyer of the Alzheimer’s Association said that cellular and GPS devices may not work in some places and that “there is no one technology that’s going to work for everybody.”
Carle conceded that he’s not a tech guy. His background is in hospital administration, more specifically in senior living and assisted care.
“I’ve been trying to push these tech industries to pay attention to older people,” Carle said. “They weren’t doing it.”
Then he found Bertagna, whose company focuses on wearable technology. Bertagna said he devised the original GPS shoe after the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart in Utah. He said GTX subsequently “shifted our entire focus to people with cognitive memory disorders, traumatic brain injuries, athletes, children with autism.”
The GPS-equipped shoes and the insoles make use of cellphone technology.
Family members with a smartphone can determine a GPS-equipped shoe’s location by calling it. The shoe responds by sending a Google map that pinpoints the location.
In addition, family members can set up a “geofence” perimeter and the application will send an alert if the shoe goes beyond the perimeter.
“By using shoes,” Carle said, “we’ve maximized the chance the technology is there when we need it. They don’t even know it’s in there.”