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Age and Ageing 2004; 33: 304-306
Age and Ageing Vol. 33 No. 3 © British Geriatrics Society 2004; all rights reserved

Short Report

A novel system of electronic tagging in patients with dementia and wandering

Frank Miskelly

Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF, UK. Fax: (+44) 208 846 1307. Email: f.miskelly{at}ic.ac.uk

Abstract

Background: wandering is a common problem in people with dementia. Current methods of physical or chemical restraint have serious adverse effects. Previous attempts at electronic tagging have been unsuccessful because of inadequacy of the technology.

Methods: this study tested equipment, derived from prisoner tagging systems, in three different scenarios: for 4 weeks in two wards at a large teaching hospital, 6 months in a medium sized residential home and 8 weeks in clients’ own homes in the community. In the hospital setting five clients, in the residential home four clients and in the community three clients wore an electronic bracelet for the duration of the study.

Results and conclusions: the system proved very reliable and two incidences of external wandering were successfully detected. Compliance was excellent. Ethical issues regarding the tagging of confused elderly people were raised by professional organisations but were not considered a contra-indication by the relatives, clients and staff.

Keywords: electronic tagging, aged, dementia

Received May 12, 2003; Revision received December 4, 2003. accepted in revised form December 4, 2003.


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