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01/05/2013
Dementia Patients 'To Wear GPS Devices'
Campaigners have criticised a decision by a police force to buy tracking devices for dementia patients.
Elderly care campaigners described the move as "barbaric" and "inhumane".
According to the Telegraph, Sussex Police have purchased 15 GPS tags which they hope will save them money searching for pensioners who go missing.
Chief Inspector Tanya Jones said: "The GPS will be very cost-effective to the police. It will reduce anxiety for the family and really reduce the police time spent on this issue."
However, Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention claimed the police were "trying to get care on the cheap".
Speaking to Sky News, she added: "I think they should withdraw it straight away. Trying to equate somebody who has committed a criminal act with somebody who is suffering dementia is completely wrong.
"It looks at the problem in the wrong way. If you've got people in the community who are so bad that they are wandering off at night and are not safe, they should be properly cared for, they shouldn't be tagged.
"It's a crude form of monitoring when the issue needs a much more detailed response than this. This is a back-of-an-envelope response."
In the UK, there are currently 800,000 people suffering from dementia.
(JP/CD)
Elderly care campaigners described the move as "barbaric" and "inhumane".
According to the Telegraph, Sussex Police have purchased 15 GPS tags which they hope will save them money searching for pensioners who go missing.
Chief Inspector Tanya Jones said: "The GPS will be very cost-effective to the police. It will reduce anxiety for the family and really reduce the police time spent on this issue."
However, Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention claimed the police were "trying to get care on the cheap".
Speaking to Sky News, she added: "I think they should withdraw it straight away. Trying to equate somebody who has committed a criminal act with somebody who is suffering dementia is completely wrong.
"It looks at the problem in the wrong way. If you've got people in the community who are so bad that they are wandering off at night and are not safe, they should be properly cared for, they shouldn't be tagged.
"It's a crude form of monitoring when the issue needs a much more detailed response than this. This is a back-of-an-envelope response."
In the UK, there are currently 800,000 people suffering from dementia.
(JP/CD)
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