Missing elderly notices seem to go up daily. It’s likely due to the easy access to information through technology, and that is good. It’s definitely a nightmare to think your grandfather has gone missing because he decided to drive himself to the grocery store. Many seniors will suffer from dementia. If they still drive, the condition may be so minor that the family can’t identify it as a problem. When the day comes that the senior’s memory causes too much confusion, he can become lost and in a dangerous situation. Put GPS in your elderly family member’s car.
Don’t expect Grandpa to learn how to use the GPS system. Just ask him to leave it turned on. If he thinks he wants to try, then that’s O.K., but more than likely, he’ll just ignore it. However, it is the fastest way to track his vehicle should he become lost or missing. Once the missing person’s report is filed with the police, you can inform them that GPS is installed in the car, and they can go about finding it. If your senior won’t turn on the GPS, or makes a fuss about installing it, give him a cell phone with GPS capabilities. Hopefully, he won’t know how to turn the phone off. If he does, and you’re really concerned about his safety, you can always get sneaky and just hide a GPS enabled cell phone in his car.
It’s dangerous for forgetful elders to drive, but all families ride that balance between taking away someone’s independence and keeping them safe. Even if the senior doesn’t seem to have memory problems, try to get them to use a GPS system anyway. Explain that it will make it very fast and easy for emergency personnel to find them if something should happen; like an accident. In fact, that’s a good reason for all of us to have a GPS system in the car.