Americans Are Using Apple AirTags To Track Their Loved Ones With Dementia: Report

Americans have found an innovative way to care for their loved ones with dementia. According to a report, some Americans are tracking their loved ones with dementia using a popular device to find lost goods like keys, wallets, or bags.

Unsplash

According to a report in Wall Street Journal,

Unsplash

"Caregivers have turned to Apple's tiny, $29 tracking devices after finding other methods of monitoring people with dementia aren't a fit or are too expensive. Many tracking apps require people to have their phones with them. People with dementia might forget them when they leave the house, say, caregivers. However, they tend to remember keys and wallets, which the AirTags were designed to attach,"

Alzheimers¡ª a raging issue in the USA:

Unsplash

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 6.5 million Americans aged 65 and older will have Alzheimer's dementia in 2022.

What is Dementia?

As per Mayo Clinic, a symptom severely impairing memory, reasoning, and social skills are dementia which significantly interferes with day-to-day functioning. Although there isn't one specific illness that causes dementia, many diseases can.

Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, but it can have many different causes. Memory loss alone does not necessarily indicate dementia, even though it is frequently one of the first symptoms of the illness.

When COVID-19 entered the top 10 causes of death rankings, Alzheimer's disease was officially recognized as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States in 2019 and the seventh-leading cause of death in 2020 and 2021.

"Just because someone has been diagnosed with dementia doesn't mean they can't still make decisions for themselves," Joseph Gaugler, a professor of long-term care and aging at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, told The WSJ. "They can and should be asked if it's OK with them."

What are AirTags?

Apple's website says. airtags have been associated with criminals using them for everything from luggage theft to such extremes as murder.

"AirTag is designed to discourage unwanted tracking," Apple says on its website.

Unsplash

AirTags have a reputation for being used by criminals for various crimes, including murder.

"AirTag is designed to discourage unwanted tracking," Apple says on its website.

Is the idea fail-proof?

According to some users of AirTags, they lack the precision necessary to be helpful in emergencies.

Additionally, the plan is not foolproof. No GPS is available in AirTags.

"AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the location of your AirTag to iCloud ¡ª then you can go to the Find My app and see it on a map,"

(For the latest trending stories, keep reading Indiatimes)