Among the challenges facing the caregiver of an Alzheimer’s patient is the fear that they will wander from home and not be able to find their way back. Locator devices and systems have become more readily available in recent years, and among the latest is Comfort Zone from the Alzheimer's Association. This sophisticated locator mapping and tracking service can be customized to each patient’s needs and updated as those needs change.

Comfort Zone is a web application that includes a location-based mapping service, the same type of system that provides turn-by-turn GPS driving directions in your car. It combines the latest technology with the flexibility that allows you to change devices and plans, should the patient's disease progress and their safety needs change. The Comfort Zone device can be worn wristwatch style or mounted on a car. As the person moves or drives, the device receives signals from satellites or cell towers and can then approximate their location by measuring the distance between the device and the cell towers or satellite signals. The device communicates with the Comfort Zone web application, allowing family members to access information about their loved one's location via the Internet or by calling the monitoring center. You decide on the level of monitoring needed, such as verifying location from a computer, receiving alerts when the person has traveled in or out of a zone or just emergency assistance if there is a wandering incident.

Some of the advantages of Comfort Zone are that it’s easy to use—just turn on your computer, get a text message or call the monitoring center, it’s flexible—Comfort Zone can be paired with a variety of devices and plans—and it’s connected to a 24/7 call center to help you if you are unable to access the Internet.

You can also coordinate it with an emergency health records system—all Comfort Zone monthly plans come with the MedicAlert® + Alzheimer's Association's Safe Return® program, which provides 24-hour emergency response service for wandering and medical emergencies. And Comfort Zone allows multiple family members, no matter where they live in the country, to check on their loved one.
Comfort Zone plans start at $42.99 per month, plus a $45 activation fee. A Comfort Zone plan is designed specifically to each device and the web application features you decide on. To find out more, visit www.alz.org/comfortzone/index.asp.