Locating personal items: What devices could help my mom find her keys and purse?

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What devices could help my mom find her keys and purse?

Question

With my mother-in-law’s dementia, she forgets where she has put her purse and keys, which ends up creating stress and frustration for both of us when we are heading out for appointments. Is there some kind of tracking device or application that can help with this?

Our answer

Tracking technology can be extremely useful when items go missing. The Tile Mate Bluetooth Item Tracker (at Amazon Canada) is a popular device that helps locate lost items by using Bluetooth technology. Attach the Tile device to the item that is often lost, and use the cellphone application to help find it when it is misplaced. Tile Mate will ring loudly to help you search for the item. This product, which ranges in price from about $25 to $60 (CDN), can also be purchased from a number of other online retailers, including, Best Buy Canada and Staples Canada.

Another similar device that uses Bluetooth technology is the Rinex Smart Tracker (at Amazon Canada), it costs about $28 (CDN), plus additional shipping fees. 

Dementia Care Central provides some strategies for managing the misplacement of items, such as using memory aids or keeping spare copies of all important items.
 

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