According to a report
published in March 2012 by the Australian Bureua of Statistics (ABS),
deaths due to dementia have more than doubled in the last 10 years
and is now the third leading cause of death in Australia. The toll
taken on staff and families from wandering patients is immeasurable;
independent of resulting fatalities.
Last Sunday 23rd
September, a man reliant on a walking frame was found nearly 200km
from his Hobart nursing home (The Sunday Morning Herald). He suffers
severe dementia and cannot tell police how he ended up wandering a
South Launceston street in slippers in the rain.
The initial search was
intensified as Police realised the man had missed his scheduled dose
of insulin and was at risk of collapsing. When he was eventually
noticed and tendered to by onlookers, Police were notified and
according to Inspector Riley, “he didn't know where he was and he
didn't know how he got there.”
A bus ticket was found
in his pockets and relatives told police he had lived in Launceston
20 years ago, which may have been the catalyst for his actions. He
was taken to Launceston General Hospital before being transported
back to Hobart.
As dementia cases grow, so to will the number of
missing residents and fatalities. Luckily there is a solution...
Integrated Wireless (IW) provide Wandering
Resident solutions to help prevent the heart-ache associated with
dementia. It's simple, affordable and effective. A patient band is
attached to the resident who can roam freely around the facility. If
this resident tries to abscond, dedicated RFID receivers placed on
every door pick up the signal from the wrist band and generate an
alarm. Staff and/or security can act immediately and the crises can
be avoided. These bands contain tamper-proof technology, alerting
necessary personnel if removed.
For more information regarding our Wandering
Resident solutions, click here!
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