The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 11th that it will provide 2,507 "wandering detectors" free of charge to dementia safety centers nationwide to prevent missing incidents involving elderly dementia patients.
The wandering detector is a wristwatch-type device that allows caregivers to track the wearer’s location and movement paths through a dedicated app. It has a function that sends an alert to the caregiver if the wearer leaves a pre-set area, known as the "Safe Zone."
To support the distribution of wandering detectors, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, together with the Central Dementia Center, conducted a demand survey through dementia safety centers nationwide for two months starting in August. The target recipients are elderly individuals pre-registered with fingerprints or other data at dementia safety centers, prioritizing dementia patients or cognitively impaired individuals who have a history or risk of wandering or going missing. Elderly individuals who receive the wandering detectors can also access various care services provided by the centers, enabling comprehensive management related to dementia.
The distribution of wandering detectors began in July last year under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the National Police Agency, and SK Hynix. A total of 3,106 units were supported last year. SK Hynix provides 400 million KRW annually to distribute the wandering detectors through 2024, and communication fees are fully covered for two years. The National Police Agency uses the wandering detectors for search and investigation in case of missing dementia patients to ensure their swift return home.
Kim Hye-young, Director of the Dementia Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "We will do our best to create a dementia-friendly society where dementia patients and their families can live with peace of mind through public-private cooperation for dementia awareness improvement and prevention projects."
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