Electronic tagging of people with dementia who wander
Year: 2002
Type: editorial
Abstract: Once again the issue of using electronic tagging to safeguard older people who wander has attracted media attention.1 It is tempting to see the arguments as simply two sided—one side stressing the need to ensure safety and the other waving the banners of civil liberties and human rights. We think that this is not simply a factual matter but one that touches important values to do with respect for people. The correct position, therefore, is to face the complex dilemma. Decisions about limiting a person's liberty should remain a matter of ethical concern even when technology finally makes the practical management of wandering easier.In electronic tagging the tag is usually a wristband. The circuitry in the tag may either set off a boundary alarm or emit a radio signal that allows the wearer to be tracked down by means of a hand held detector.
The problem of wandering in dementia is not trivial. It causes stress to carers, referrals to psychiatric services and hospital admissions, problems in the hospital …
Source: BMJ
Authors: Julian C Hughes, Stephen J Louw,
Institutions: Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2115953036