Do you know anyone who might be in danger of leaving home unintentionally and having difficulty finding their way home? Are you ever concerned that a loved one might get out and become disoriented?<\/p>\n
There are many families in Wawa with at least one member who would be in danger if they managed to get out of the home on their own.\u00a0This could be due to a variety of cognitive impairments including Alzheimer\u2019s and other forms of dementia or autism.\u00a0 People with cognitive impairments may leave a secure environment without the knowledge of their caregiver and have difficulty finding their way home. This can be particularly problematic in the winter where exposure could lead to dire consequences in a very short period of time.\u00a0 It is also a concern that often people with cognitive impairment won\u2019t answer when called even if they hear someone calling them.<\/p>\n
The Senior\u2019s at Risk Committee working with the Ontario Provincial Police and the Alzheimer\u2019s Society have been working to bring Project Lifesaver to Wawa. Requests for funds were made to a number of organizations including; The Wawa Fishing Derby, Brookfield Power, The Wawa Rotary Club, and Wesdome Gold Mines all of whom responded with very generous donations.\u00a0In addition, donations made in memory of Lori Johnson were directed to Wawa\u2019s Project Lifesaver initiative.\u00a0\u00a0This has given us the funds necessary to purchase the equipment and a number of \u2018bracelets\u2019.<\/p>\n
So what exactly is this Project Lifesaver?<\/strong><\/p>\n Project Lifesaver utilizes radio receivers to locate individuals who have been equipped with the transmitting bracelets.\u00a0 Each bracelet has its\u2019 own frequency and is worn by the client at all times.\u00a0 Superior East Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police have been equipped with two (2) radio receivers.\u00a0 The first one is situated permanently in a cruiser and when activated will receive signals from the various \u2018bracelets\u2019 that are activated in our community.\u00a0 By inputting the client\u2019s frequency they will use the first receiver to locate the general area in which the client is located.\u00a0This multi-directional receiver has a range of approximately \u00bc mile.\u00a0 Once they are within this range they will activate the directional receiver to pinpoint the direction from which the signals are coming and ultimately this will lead the searchers to the client.\u00a0 As the receiver gets closer the signals get stronger.\u00a0 If they begin to move away from the client the signals get weaker.\u00a0 The signals can be picked up even through building walls.\u00a0 Should a client enter someone else\u2019s home or apartment the officer\u2019s will still be able to locate them.<\/p>\n Officers in Wawa were trained in the use of the equipment in the spring and fall and they were able to locate a bracelet (one that was not attached to a person) within ten minutes of beginning to search for it.<\/p>\n You may wonder how to get one of these bracelets and how to register for the program or how to get more information.\u00a0 On Friday, November 16, 2018, a display will be set-up at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre in the front lobby.\u00a0 Representatives from the OPP, the Wawa Alzheimer\u2019s Society and the Senior\u2019s at Risk Committee and perhaps a few of the sponsors will be on hand to provide you with information and to give a demonstration of how the system works.\u00a0 If you are interested you can leave your name and you will be contacted for registration the following week.\u00a0 In the meantime, if you want more information you can contact Christy Reid at the Alzheimer\u2019s Society at (705) 856-0000.<\/p>\n You may also be interested in knowing how much it would cost to purchase a bracelet.\u00a0 The cost of each bracelet is $ 300.00.\u00a0 Additionally, every two months the batteries must be changed at a cost of $ 20.00.\u00a0The changing of the batteries must be done by the Alzheimer\u2019s Society staff.\u00a0 We ask that if you are able to pay for the bracelet and batteries that you do so.\u00a0 We have committed to subsidizing the bracelets and\/or batteries for those who do not have the financial ability to purchase them.\u00a0 This will require fundraising on our part, so we ask that only those who are truly unable to buy their bracelets to request the subsidy.<\/p>\n Please drop by the Community Centre the evening of November 16th<\/sup>to get more information about this truly lifesaving addition to the Ontario Provincial Police\u2019s equipment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do you know anyone who might be in danger of leaving home unintentionally and having difficulty finding their way home? Are you ever concerned that a loved one might get out and become disoriented? 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