InnoTrac Inc. Proudly Supports the Alzheimer’s Foundation of Canada

What is Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia

Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging

Alzheimer's worsens over time

Alzheimer's has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues

What are the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Just like the rest of our bodies, our brains change as we age . Most of us eventually notice some slowed thinking and occasional problems with remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way our minds work may be a sign that brain cells are failing.

The most common early symptom of Alzheimer's is difficulty remembering newly learned information because Alzheimer's changes typically begin in the part of the brain that affects learning. As Alzheimer's advances through the brain it leads to increasingly severe symptoms, including disorientation, mood and behavior changes; deepening confusion about events, time and place; unfounded suspicions about family, friends and professional caregivers; more serious memory loss and behavior changes; and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking.

What are the 10 Signs?

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure

4. Confusion with time or place

5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships

6. New problems with words in speaking or writing

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

8. Decreased or poor judgment

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities

10. Changes in mood and personality

Things you need to know

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease.

1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia.

In 2012, 15.4 million caregivers provided more than 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $216 billion.

Nearly 15% of caregivers for people with Alzheimer's or another dementia are long-distance caregivers.

In 2013, Alzheimer's will cost the nation $203 billion. This number is expected to rise to $1.2 trillion by 2050.

InnoTrac understands the needs

InnoTrac recognizes that those afflicted with Alzheimer’s want nothing more than to maintain their independence but regrettably as their condition worsens, the ability to live an independent life becomes less and less of a reality. Nearly 100% of all persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will require the need to be placed into a care facility where nursing staff can monitor and maintain their daily lives. It becomes a sad day in any persons mind the day they lose control over their own being and have to become completely reliant on the care of others.

An important part of the human function is that as human beings we always try to remember that of which we used to be able to do day in and day out. It could be the simplest of actions of getting dressed, going for a walk, buying groceries or cooking a meal.

InnoTrac’s Drive to Assist

The sad reality is that once Alzheimer’s sets in, your ability to perform those simple every day tasks is greatly minimized but your brain function continues to try to perform them, regrettably you are just not sure why, or whether you have already done that task or when you last performed that task.

Over the years we have seen a growing number of people in these care facilities. Whether in a co-op facility or with in-home nursing, these afflicted persons through no fault of their own, try to perform the task of leaving out the front door to go for a walk. The brain function recognizes the habit, but does not recognize the danger of doing so, and the result may be deadly or cause serious harm.

Wandering when you have Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s patients often come to the attention of law enforcement officials and Search and Rescue personnel because of wandering. As the person with Alzheimer’s loses more and more of their memory, they will often go in search of a particular item, person, or place. The brain changes and visual impairments that occur in people with Alzheimer’s cause an irrepressible urge to wander.

Wandering has proven such a common behavior that Alzheimer’s experts predict that 60% to 70% of all people with Alzheimer’s will wander away from safety at least once during the course of their illness. Many will wander 6 to 8 times before they are placed into a residential facility or an outside, qualified caretaker is brought into the home to help.

Why do they Wander?

People with Alzheimer’s who wander rarely find their own way home. When they are located in or near their home, the likelihood is greatest that they hadn’t wandered very far away.

Many People with Alzheimer’s become lost or disoriented from their own home or care facility, but an increasing number of people with Alzheimer’s are being reported missing from malls, parks, zoos, and other public arenas. These persons, already in an unfamiliar environment are particularly unlikely to be able to navigate themselves to safety. 

What to do when someone Wanders

Dogs and Scent—People with AD, especially in care facilities, will put on several layers of clothes sometimes due to a thermal regulation problem or obsessive-compulsive behavior. This leads to borrowing clothing from others. Trailing dogs will have a problem with distinguishing the right scent and may not follow the right person. The interview of the caregiver should determine if person exhibits this behavior.

Man-tracking—Need to get started early. The person who wanders can keep going and going. They exhibit what is called the Pinball Effect. They will walk a straight line until they hit an obstacle like a fence, turn and continue on until the next obstacle, and so on. Eventually they will keep going until they get stuck.

Water Hazards—Drowning is one of the major causes of death to people with Alzheimer’s who wander. Because of the Pinball Effect described above and the inability to perceive danger they will walk into lakes, ponds, rivers, and canals. All these potential hazards need to be checked with dive teams and water dogs. Also searchers need to be made aware of the possible biohazards.

A Personal Story

As the VP of Operations for InnoTrac Inc. I have a personal reason for seeking this solution. Although it is my nature to devise solutions, this cause is much more close to my heart as I personally hear the challenges and stories of how Alzheimer’s has changed my Uncles life.

My Uncles wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about 3 years ago, she at that time still had strong memory abilities allowing her to live at home while my Uncle helped to take care of her. However, as the weeks passed by, so to did her memory and her condition seemed to worsen. It was evident that the disease was taking over her mind and body and it was getting to the point where my Uncle was having far too much difficulty in taking care of her needs. A change in care was needed. Leading up to……

A Personal Story Continued

Leading up to the day when my Uncle had to find an alternate care method, his wife would routinely get up in the middle of the night in nothing but her pajamas, some nights in below freezing temperatures, and she would wander the streets. This of course sent my Uncle into a state of panic and with his own health issues revolving around his heart problems, the chance of a heart attack or stroke was inevitable.

The time had come to place her into a care facility where she would receive round the clock care and attention and receive programs that would help to build her mind strength and not let the disease control her. In a care facility, the security is stronger and the chances or opportunities to wander decreased, and as a result her ability to wander diminished. However……

A Personal Story Continued

However, as our population gets older and the numbers of those reaching seniors status increases, so do the costs of health care. With increased costs and economies struggling to stay strong, cutbacks are happening and those most vulnerable are being greatly affected.

Case in point, recently this care facility was mandated with cutbacks in staffing, they eliminated the position at the front desk on weekends. As a result, it was witnessed by my Uncle that 2 people also suffering from Dementia of some sort when they saw the opportunity to walk out the front door unchallenged, seized the moment and walked outside in only their hospital gowns, in -20 degree Celsius weather. Luckily, my Uncle was present and convinced them to return inside. A result…….

A Personal Story Continued

A result of his actions that almost certainly saved them from potentially freezing to death. A result that saved the care facility a potential lawsuit that could have crippled the care facility or even shut it down.

My Personal Story is not unlike so many other stories I have read about or heard people talking about. Our care system is broken, and the care workers we have working with those with Alzheimer’s deserve a break so they can live their own lives without always wondering if Mom or Dad or Husband or Wife is safe.

This is why myself and InnoTrac devised this program and this technology for those with Alzheimer’s. We want to protect those afflicted and give peace of mind to those who are caring or can no longer care for them anymore, the knowledge they are safe.

The goal of InnoTrac Inc.

InnoTrac wants to provide a solution to the problem of persons walking away from their care facilities and potentially causing themselves unwanted harm or death. If InnoTrac can help prevent even one life from being taken, it will be a rewarding step in allowing persons with Alzheimer’s to maintain at least a sense of independence in their daily lives.

The goal of this project is to provide 100 persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s our iTracMedi WiFi wristband tracking system. Outside each care facility an outdoor enclosed WiFi router will be placed allowing caregivers the ability to have peace of mind that should their loved one step outside the care facility, an immediate alarm will be sent alerting staff and others that an Alzheimer’s patient has left the building.

How the WiFi bracelet works

Each bracelet is a ruggedized, water and shock proof device that is attached to the persons wrist with a bracelet that prevents it from being removed without the use of a special key.

The bracelet contains a small WiFi receiver that when in range with our custom WiFi router transmits a signal alerting the nursing station, caregiver or family member that the bracelet has come into range.

Normally, most systems are used to track this bracelet within a facility alerting someone when the bracelet signal is gone, but in this case, we care more about when the bracelet enters a restricted area, in this case when exiting the care facility or home.

The WiFi router which will be housed in a weather proof casing is to be attached to our the outside of the facility preferably close to the entrance/exit points. When a person wearing the bracelet enters this WiFi zone, the alert is sent and the staff or care worker can respond in the appropriate manner.

Our Crowdsourcing Goal

InnoTrac Inc. through this crowdsourcing venture wants to donate 100 WiFi bracelets and routers in cooperation with the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada so that 100 persons who suffer from Alzheimer’s whom are on fixed incomes in a private home or care facility will be protected ensuring the risk of Wandering can be caught early without dire consequences.

The cost of this program will be approximately $50,000 US with each WiFi router and bracelet plus installation and training amounting to $500 per device donated.

Their will be a nominal monthly fee incurred on each bracelet of $15 per month, this charge covers our basic monthly software fees that we in turn must pay to our service provider.

If we can successfully raise an amount more than the $50,000 then we will offset those monthly charges accordingly for each device donated.

In Conclusion

We at InnoTrac Inc. are very excited about this program and this donation drive. This project was brought forward by not only my own personal story of a family member suffering through Alzheimer’s but by friends, family and all those who can truly relate to the extent and the toll placed on any person suffering from Alzheimer’s and the care givers who spend countless hours trying to care for them.

Although this is not a cure for the disease, it is a solution that enriches a persons existence and even when Alzheimer’s has taken away the memory of and the memories past, the feelings of the heart with those they love will always be their strength to move forward.

Thank you for your support.

Ian Phyper, VP Operations at InnoTrac Inc.