Last Sunday afternoon I
noticed a sign while leaving the dollar store: “Estate Sale 12-4.” I followed
the arrow and then saw more signs with balloons pointing the way. It was hot,
almost ninety that day, and I drove slowly and methodically looking for the
sale. I had never driven down that street before and it was wooded and winding,
without curbs or sidewalks and the homes were situated on steep inclines a ways
from the street.
Suddenly,
I saw a man lying halfway in the street and on the road shoulder, covered with
mud and gravel. I stopped the car, got out, and he was moaning and weeping. He tried
to raise up but couldn’t. I estimated his age to be at least eighty. His
eyebrow was bleeding and had a black and blue temple in addition to a bleeding
left arm. He told me his legs hurt. Suspecting that he could have serious
injuries, I did not attempt to move him.
Mr.
G did not know where he came from but he told me that he was out walking and
either slipped or passed out. Due to the terrain, trees, and setbacks, he was
not visible to any of the neighbors. The 911 dispatcher sent first responders,
which flushed some of the neighbors out of the houses. One lady ran over and said,
“That’s my neighbor’s dad. I’ll go get her!” Off she ran. As the first
responders asked him a series of questions, he did not know the day, the month,
the year, the president, or where he lived. “I do know who won the world
series!” he proudly exclaimed.
His
daughter finally arrived and said her dad had gone out walking and he had been
gone a long time. “You just can’t go out walking anymore, dad!” she shouted.
While the medical team attended to Mr. G, I told his daughter that GPS shoe
inserts are available for older adults who may wander. “They have such a
thing?” she asked. I gave her my card and recommended reviewing some websites
before I drove away and continued looking for the estate sale. As it turned
out, I was on the wrong street.
Because exercise and fresh air are vital for retaining optimum health, the GPS Smart Sole shoe inserts help bring peace of mind for caregivers and spouses. This technology provides tracking without wearing bulky necklaces or wrist bands, and I believe retains dignity and autonomy. I have provided a link below.
According to their website, “GPS Smart Sole fits into most shoes and allows caregivers to track their loved one from any smartphone, tablet, or web browser. The shoe insert is enabled with GPS technology and allows real-time syncing, a detailed report of location history, and allows users to set up a safe radius for their loved one.”
In the case of Mr. G, the shoe inserts may not have prevented the
fall. However, his daughter did not know where he was or where to start looking
for him. She just knew that he left for a walk and did not return on time. In
the case of Mr. G, she would have known where he was and that he was in that
location and not moving. That would have alerted her to help him before I
happened to drive past.
The
next day, I drove over there again and where he fell was easy to spot, as there
was still a large pool of dried blood in the gravel. Had another car come
around the curve on his side of the road, Mr. G would certainly have been hit,
as his head and torso were in the street. It was a close call that ended okay
and I decided to share this experience with my readers to illuminate how GPS
shoe inserts provide a proactive approach to wandering older adults who want to
remain physically active and independent.
GPS Shoe Inserts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yt3VslNgL4
https://www.alzstore.com/gps-smart-sole-p/2026.htm
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