Huron County OPP and the county have launched a program designed to help police find wandering seniors who have dementia.
OPP Sergeant Nigel Heels says ten years ago they had three calls for missing seniors and last year they had 13, so it has become a growing problem. He says when it happens, time is critical both in manpower used and in possibly saving a life.
The new Project Lifesaver Program involves a transmitter about the size of a wrist watch that can be worn on the wrist or ankle.
Each transmitter gives off a unique signal that can be picked up by a receiver and that will allow them to locate the transmitter and the person wearing it in a shorter period of time.
Sergeant Heels says they have two receivers and two transmitters but they're getting three more transmitters shortly. He says there are about three thousand frequencies available so they could have that many people wearing transmitters.
Goderich Place Seniors Home put up $5,000 to help get the program started and one of the transmitters will be designated within Goderich Place.
"They can put it on their ankle or they can put it on their wrist. Each transmitter has a unique signal ID. We set that unique signal ID into a receiver. Once that is set into the receiver, we'll be able to locate the transmitter," says Heels.