NEWS RELEASE
GUELPH POLICE SERVICE
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On April 7, 2019 Guelph Police received the report that an elderly female, known to wander, had gone missing from her south end retirement residence. The female is a member of Project Lifesaver. Police began searching using the Project Lifesaver equipment at 4:46 p.m. and she was located in just 11 minutes. This type of search, without Project Lifesaver may well have lasted hours.
Project Lifesaver Guelph Wellington assists caregivers and responds to the challenges of keeping loved ones safe when they wander due to Alzheimer's, Autism or other forms of cognitive impairment.
Participants wear a battery-operated bracelet that sends an FM radio signal 24 hours a day. It even works in areas such as buildings and forests.
Volunteers from Victim Services Wellington visit each client once a month to change the battery.
When a caregiver tells their local police service that a client has gone missing, trained police officers will use Project Lifesaver equipment to search for and locate the missing person.
Time it takes to find missing people with Project Lifesaver average 30 minutes — 95 per cent less time than without.
Project Lifesaver has a 100 per cent find rate.
Project Lifesaver does not replace the position of a caregiver, but it is a tool that can save lives and reduce stress felt by family members.
There is a startup fee to join the program as well as a monthly cost to maintain the equipment.
For additional information on Project Lifesaver, please contact Victim Services Wellington at (519) 824-1212 ext. 7205.
For more information about Project Lifesaver checkout Project Lifesaver International site.
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