As you know, caring for a loved one who could potentially wander at any moment carries a considerable responsibility, and nothing could be more frightening than the thought of them wandering and becoming lost.

Our proven SafetyNet technology can help public safety agencies quickly find and bring loved ones home, providing an additional layer of protection and peace of mind to keep loved ones safe.

Should a loved one go missing, a caregiver would simply call their local public safety agency. Participating SafetyNet public safety agencies are all trained and certified on electronic search and rescue procedures. They would use our SafetyNet tracking equipment to locate and follow the Radio Frequency signal being emitted from the SafetyNet Bracelet on your loved one’s wrist or ankle.

6 Months Free!

You can find full details on the giveaway and SafetyNet’s availability on: http://bit.ly/LoJackSafetyNet

*This offer only valid in the LoJack SafetyNet service area.

It’s never too soon to start thinking about summer, especially here in the Northeast, where it has rained every day for the past week! Care2.com recently did a post on thinking about the needs associated with a child with autism and their transition to summer, especially when it comes to the issue of summer safety. At SafetyNet, we’ve recorded a podcast that addresses several topics related to summer safety and children with autism. Take a listen.  What are some of the protective measures that you take to help keep loved ones safe from wandering, particularly during the summer?

– A diagnostic code will allow for data collection on the incidence of wandering, thereby increasing opportunities for prevention, education for doctors, caregivers, school administrators and staff, first responders/search personnel.

- Many nonverbal ASD individuals are unable to respond to their name when called. We feel a diagnosis code will lead to increased awareness and the development of emergency search-and-rescue response protocols.

- We believe a medical code will enhance schools’ understanding of wandering so that children with a history of wandering will be better protected. Currently, wandering is not looked at as a medical condition, but one of choice or bad behavior. This has lead to a lack of school training, prevention and emergency response. In January alone, two children with autism went missing from their schools.

- Children and adults with ASD who suddenly flee, bolt or run because of a trigger are at greater risk of restraint or seclusion. We believe a medical code will help establish safe protocols that work to eliminate triggers, thereby eliminating the need for restraint.

- We’ve seen reports of parents locking/secluding children in their rooms to keep them from wandering outside. While this is anecdotal information, we believe parents, schools and other care providers need better solutions. A medical code has enormous potential to help provide safe alternatives.

- We believe every disabled individual with a history of wandering — who is at serious risk of injury, trauma or death — should have access to safety devices and prevention materials regardless of the caregiver’s income. A medical code for wandering could potentially provide insurance coverage for those unable to afford critical protections for their children/adults.

You can visit change.org to sign the petition or to submit a personal or organizational letter.

via http://www.change.org/petitions/keep-our-loved-ones-safe-from-wandering-related-injuries-and-death-4#signatures?opt_new=t&opt_fb=t

Autism Today, a leading autism spectrum disorder education and awareness organization, announced that the unique comprehensive book, “Autism Tomorrow, The Complete Guide to Help Your Child Thrive in the Real World,” is now available. The book is a compilation of advice from leading experts in autism spectrum disorders with each author adding valuable insight to help parents, care providers and educators guide children into adulthood.

via Essential New Book, ‘Autism Tomorrow’, Helps Children Transition into Adulthood.

Pictured (from left to right) are John Paul Marosy, LoJack SafetyNet; Councilman-at-large Jack Kelly; Mayor Michael A. Nutter; Kathy Kelleher, LoJack SafetyNet; Michael Tuckerman, Founder of Keeping Individuals Safe and Sound (KISS); and Michal Fandel, LoJack SafetyNet.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and City Councilman-at-Large Jack Kelly spoke at a Leadership Forum on Assuring the Safety of Persons Who Wander sponsored by LoJack SafetyNet on April 29.  More than 50 leaders from healthcare and human service agencies in the Philadelphia area gathered for the event. Mayor Nutter praised the progress of the city-wide public-private partnership involving the city’s police department, community organizations, and LoJack Corporation.  Police Commissioner Ramsey echoed the Mayor’s comments and praised Councilman-at-Large Jack Kelly and parent/activist Michael Tuckerman for bringing the service to the city.

John Paul Marosy of LoJack SafetyNet

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter

Citing new evidence that 76 percent of drivers with dementia could still pass on-road skills tests, the AAN changed guidelines that previously discouraged any driving once someone was diagnosed with mild dementia or Alzheimer’s. The updated guidelines were unveiled an the AAN’s annual meeting in Toronto.

via New Guidelines Issed On Elderly Driving After Dementia Or Alzheimer’s Diagnosis – ABC News.

QUINCY, MASS – A new, interactive fire safety book has been designed to help children with autism spectrum disorder respond appropriately to the sound of a smoke alarm.

“I Know My Fire Safety Plan,” produced by The National Fire Protection Association NFPA, can also be helpful to children with other developmental disabilities, according to Lisa Braxton of the NFPA public education project.

“Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability. It is important that we reach children on the autism spectrum and encourage parents and caregivers to use this new NFPA educational tool to help children understand what they should do to escape safely when they hear the smoke alarm sound,” Braxton said.

The book uses easy-to-follow steps in a story format, acknowledging the apprehension children with autism may feel at the sound of a smoke alarm or presence of fire trucks and firefighters.

via Fire Safety Book Designed For Kids With Autism – NewsOn6.com – Tulsa, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports – KOTV.com |.

Three out of four people with Alzheimer’s will wander at some point during the course of the disease. Wanderers who get lost outdoors may become injured or even die of exposure. This risk increases dramatically if the weather is very cold or very hot.

via Alzheimer’s: Understand and control wandering – MayoClinic.com.

LoJack SafetyNet General Manager John Paul Marosy, elder care expert and author of several caregiver books,  offers the following advice, “There is no one single strategy that can protect loved ones with Alzheimer’s from wandering.The most effective approach involves multiple strategies, which in combination deliver the best protection for the person with Alzheimer’s and peace of mind for the caregiver.”

TIPS:  Here is Marosy’s 10 Step Approach:

PROVIDE INFORMATION TO HELP WITH SEARCH AND RESCUE:

• Advise Local Responders First – Fill out a 911 disability indicator form and submit it to your local law enforcement agency.  The information on the form alerts law enforcement that a person residing at that address may require special assistance during an emergency.  Also, fill out a more detailed handout with this information that you can provide to first responders and search and rescue personnel in the event of a wandering incident.
• Inform Your Neighbors – Give your neighbors a similar handout with a picture of the person you are caring for, physical characteristics and emergency contact information.  You may want to describe the person’s fears, habits and explain how to best communicate with and calm them.  Ask them to contact you immediately if they see this person wandering outside their home.
• Tag Personal Items – List emergency contact information on tags in shoes and on clothing in case your loved one does wander.

SAFEGUARD THE LIVING SPACE – INSIDE AND OUT

• Hide Triggers that Might Encourage Departure – Remove items such as hats, coats, boots, scarves, keys and suitcases that may  prompt your loved one to go outside.
• Hang a “Do Not Enter” Sign on the Door – This sign may help redirect and discourage the wanderer from opening the door.
• Install a Fence Around Your Property – Set latches on the outside of gates and ensure they are in an area where the person you are caring for can’t reach them.
• Use Simple Monitors, Remote Alerts and Locks – Attach monitors to the door that detects when it opens; use a caregiver chime alert unit, which sounds when the door is open; combine these with locks on all doors including front, garage and basement.

REGISTER AND/OR ENROLL IN PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE A SAFE RESCUE

• Register Your Loved One’s Information – With information registered in a secure database, such as the National Silver Alert Program, emergency responders are provided with critical information necessary in the event of a wandering incident or a medical emergency.
• Consider an Identification Bracelet – An ID bracelet, like the one offered through the Alzheimer’s Association’s MedicAlert + Safe Return program, helps the police or a Good Samaritan get a missing person back home safely or medical attention.
• Consider a Program that Offers a Personal Tracking Device – Programs that feature personal tracking devices, such as LoJack SafetyNet, are a good way to help protect and locate someone in the event they do wander and give peace of mind to a caregiver.  A Radio Frequency device is ideal for people at risk of wandering because, unlike GPS devices, it has strong signals that can penetrate water, dense foliage, concrete buildings and steel structures.

via Across The Country, Numerous Incidents Reported of People with Alzheimer’s Wandering Off and Tragically Dying — WESTWOOD, Mass., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ –.

For your husband’s safety and your own piece of mind, your best bet is to ensure that your home is locked up tightly at night so that your husband cannot easily leave. For this, deadbolts that lock from the inside are useful, so long as your husband does not have access to the key. Windows will also need to be secured by some sort of locking mechanism for which only you have the key. Hang bells or other noisy things on the door handles, to alert you if he is trying to open a door. If your husband’s vision is poor, you can also try placing rugs with large dark-colored block designs in front of door exits. Dementia patients with poor vision can mistake the 2-dimensional floor objects for solid 3-dimensional objects or holes in the ground, and are deterred from crossing them. Motion-activated lights, such as are often installed outside, can be used indoors as another deterrent for the door exit area. However, it is important to keep in mind that these measures, while deterring your husband from exiting, may also serve to confuse or agitate him. So you may still need to guide him safely back to bed after he has “triggered” a safety mechanism.