Just Stick a Sticker on the Fingernail... Ending the Long Journey to Find the Home of Dementia Patients

Special Measures in Hirosaki City, Japan Spark Attention
1cm Barcode Stickers Attached to Fingernails or Toenails
Scan with Smartphone When Missing to Connect to City Hall
Contact Family and Police for Early Discovery of Missing Persons

[Photo by Sankei Shimbun]

A 'nail sticker' aimed at preventing the disappearance of dementia patients and enabling early detection is being distributed in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, drawing attention.

On the 26th, the Sankei Shimbun reported, "Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture has prepared a special measure to prevent the disappearance of dementia patients and others and to enable early detection, which has become a hot topic." The city authorities recently began distributing two-dimensional barcode stickers (Nail Q Stickers) that can be attached to the nails of elderly people.

The sticker is about 1 cm in size and can be attached to fingernails or toenails. It has received high praise because there is no need to carry it separately. If a dementia patient or an elderly person suspected of having symptoms goes missing, the finder can scan the barcode with a smartphone, and the city hall's main phone number along with the registrant's three-digit number will be displayed on the screen. To protect personal information, names and phone numbers are not shown. After the city hall receives the contact, it verifies the name and address and contacts the family or police. This system is expected to be applicable to infants and others in the future.

A Hirosaki City official explained to the media, "We want to raise awareness in the community about caring for dementia patients." They added, "We expect this system to support the quick discovery and safe return of missing elderly people." The city plans to distribute 24 stickers per person (enough for one year).

Reference photo to aid understanding of the article. [Photo by Pixabay]

This measure is attracting attention as a solution to the increasing problem of missing dementia patients in an aging society. It is especially praised for considering both personal information protection and practicality simultaneously. The Nail Q Sticker is expected to greatly improve the identification process of missing elderly people by providing a more continuous and stable means of identification compared to existing methods.

An official from the Japan Association of Elderly Welfare said, "This innovative approach is a good way to ensure the safety of dementia patients and provide peace of mind to their families at the same time," but advised, "However, sufficient consideration is also needed regarding elderly people's reluctance to attach the stickers and ethical issues."

Meanwhile, according to the Asahi Shimbun on the 21st, the number of reported missing dementia patients in Japan last year was about 19,000, setting a record high. It was the highest since statistics began in 2012. Among the missing dementia patients, 18,221 returned safely, and 98.7% were found within three days.