Wearing 'this' reduces the time to find missing dementia patients from 12 hours to 40 minutes

When dementia patients or individuals with developmental disabilities go missing, the 'Wandering Detection Device (Happiness GPS)' becomes the key to solving the problem. It has been reported that there have been approximately 2,000 cases (from 2017 to 2023) where missing persons were located within about an hour using Happiness GPS.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 8th, the Happiness GPS distributed through the 'Wandering Detection Device Supply Project' for dementia patients and individuals with developmental disabilities has reached a total of 31,871 units since 2017. Specifically, 23,421 units are for dementia patients and 8,450 units are for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Dementia patients and individuals with developmental disabilities may wander aimlessly or roam around their homes due to cognitive decline. They may lose their memory or become confused about locations, making it difficult to find their way home, and in severe cases, this can lead to disappearance.

Since the longer a missing person case goes on, the harder it becomes to find the individual, prompt response and discovery at the early stages of the incident are of utmost importance. According to the National Police Agency, there were over 14,000 cases of missing dementia patients last year. Considering that the number of dementia patients in the country is approximately one million, about 1.4% of them experience a missing incident.

Happiness GPS is the solution to the missing persons problem. Also known as wandering detection devices, Happiness GPS is designed in the form of a wristwatch, allowing it to be carried at all times. Some devices have features that notify guardians whether the user is wearing them, as well as functions that provide information on heart rate, oxygen saturation, activity levels, and fall detection.

There have been 2,232 cases of missing persons discovered using this technology. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the average time to locate dementia patients has been reduced from 12 hours to about 40 minutes, and for individuals with developmental disabilities from 76 hours to approximately 1.1 hours, compared to before the device was introduced. This means that the golden time to find missing persons has been secured through Happy GPS.

Support from companies continues as well. SK Hynix has been dedicated to providing free support since 2017. This year, they are supporting 4,590 units, a 60% increase from 2,871 units last year, and will also provide free monthly usage fees for two years. For devices supported in 2022, the free support period will be extended by an additional year.

Meanwhile, it is known that in addition to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the National Health Insurance Service, the police, health centers, and dementia safety centers also provide wandering detection devices. You can apply to each organization to receive benefits such as free provision.

You can personally purchase and use a wandering detection device, and the prices vary greatly. In the market, there are a wide range of wandering detection devices, from low-cost models priced around 20,000 to 30,000 won to high-end models costing hundreds of thousands of won. The 'Smart Keeper 2,' supported by SK Hynix since 2023, costs approximately 280,000 won.