Permanent Identification.

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Sure we all know our charges should have ID on them at all times but how?

1. GPS
2. ID Chip
3. ID Bracelet
4. ID Wristband
5. Wallet / Purse
6. Labels

They all have their pluses and minus.

I remember talking with my GP doctor and she was thinking about getting a GPS implanted under her mother’s skin. LOL

I have a back round in electronics and I didn’t know how to tell her that was a bad idea. First because the GPS unit is, a mini radio station.  Sending out a radio signal exactly like the kind you listen to in your car.   Second even the smallest ones are just a little bigger than a watch. How would you feel about having a fat watch stuck under your skin sending out a radio signal 24hrs a day that is strong enough to be picked up by a three different satellites.   Lastly the tracking device’s battery must be recharged weekly.
So I just sat there and listened and resolved to get some answers for her.    A few months later I saw her again we discussed her options.  She change her mind about surgically implanting it under the skin, instead she end up deciding on a soft ID bracelet.

1. GPS trackers  are not permanent IDs, although deserve discussion. There are lots of great types to choose from.   Cost range in price from $200 to $400 plus a monthly maintenance fee may be required up to $50. Using the software that you down load to your computer you can find the wearer easily if they are outside.  Most providers they have 24hr on call to assistances if have trouble operating the software system correctly, or you lose power. The tracking device sends out a radio signal and there for needs to have its battery recharged.  Battery duration vary greatly from each model type.   They come in Watch type, units inside shoes, clip on.

This is the only system that will help find a person without the aid of a Good Samaritan or Emergency Responder.    GPS does not work inside the individual tracker must be located outside.   The 100% success rate that we hear about only means they found the charged up unit not the person outside.   I doubt anyone keeps count of how many times the wearer leaves their GPS unit behind before or while they were off wandering about or the caregiver forgot  to recharge the battery. That said, GPS has saved countless lives.

2. ID Chips are designed to go under the skin. VeriChip costs about $200 plus the fee to have it implanted under the skin by a doctor and a $10 monthly maintenance fee. It too emits a radio frequency but is so low in wattage that only a scanner inches for the sink can read it. Drawbacks Only Emergency Responders and the morgue can read them. All in all, ID chips are fine as a final back up system but hardly a first form of permanent ID. 

3. ID Bracelets cost $10 to $20. Easy to get almost everywhere. Are seen easily and read easily by anyone. They too, have drawbacks.  Bracelets are metal.  For those with sensitive / thin skin and who bruise easily this is not a match made in heaven. Infection from torn skin.  Next they are designed to be removed by the wearer. Lastly they are small and only have room for a very small amount of information.

4. Soft ID Bracelet cost $20. Have printing on both sides and designed not to injure the elderly tender skin.   They can not  be removed by the wearer.  Hold a great deal of custom information.  Hospitals and large Nursing facilities have no trouble getting them. * Problem – they can not be found everywhere. In fact they are sold primarily to Nursing homes and other institutions from the manufacture.  Individual caregivers and smaller facilities can acquire them only from one online company Never Lost ID LLC.  http://www.NeverLostID.us

5. Wallet / Purse OK lets back to reality. My mother couldn’t remember to carry her purse with her. In fact she couldn’t remember to get dressed in street cloths before she decided to go for a stroll. Possibly the worst form of ID made for Dementia suffers.

6. Labels are labor intensive to sew on to the outside of shirts, jackets and sleep wear. They are of no use unless they are sewed on all upper body clothing. If labels are purchased and sew on by tailors they can cost hundreds of dollars.

In conclusions permanent forms of ID for a Dementia suffer need to be low-cost ID Wristbands or ID Bracelet. However if you have a caregiver to a wanderer, you may decide to spend the extra on high-tech GPS tractors or Implants as well ID Bracelets or ID Wristbands.

Sources for this Blog can be found on the internet. Here are just a few sites used out of the hundred or more researched for this Blog.

Brick House Security
#1 Leader In Security Cell Phone Spy, GPS Trackers, Child locator
http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/covert-small-gps-tracking-device.html

Tracking LandAirSea | Dementia | GPS Tracking
If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to LandAirSea’s RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! GPS Tracking Used to Keep Family Members Safe. Medical Uses for Tracking …
http://www.landairsea.com/gps-tracking-blog/tag/dementia – CachedGPS

Human chips more than skin-deep – CNET News
… on the subject of implanting electronic identification chips in … RFID technologies in products, much less in human bodies. The concept of implanting chips … ( 135 Comments )
http://www.lnews.cnet.com/Human-chips-more-than-skin-deep/2009-1008

Never Lost ID LLC custom fitted Soft id bracelets, custom silicone bracelets, penicillin allergy bracelet, silicone wristbands, allergy bracelets.                                                         https://www.neverlostwristbands.com

* The company below was found to be the only manufacturer of ID wristbands designed for the elderly in long care institutions. After checking with them it was confirmed that Never Lost Wristbands have the exclusive right to sell this ID wristband to the general public.

Precision Dynamics Healthcare ID Solutions Wristbands & ID Solutions for Healthcare from Precision Dynamics … *Based on recent surveys from U.S. News & World Report and Hospital & Health Networks http://www.http://www.pdcorp.com/en-us/healthcare/index.html