Now, keep up to date with daily feeds of newly posted stories about America's Seniors...click on the box to the left 

GPS Tracking of Seniors considered in Indiana

Indiana lawmakers are mulling over legislation that would require the elderly and Alzheimer’s patients to wear GPS tracking systems.

The chairman of the Senate committee studying the GPS tracking, or vehicle tracking, issue says it’s far from a done deal, but it is one that warrants further examination.

All sides agree that the concept of GPS tracking seniors is intriguing and potentially helpful. Where the train comes off the tracks is in implementation.

Should the state impose its will – and GPS tracking systems -  on citizens, who might not be able to make rational, informed decisions about their own welfare?

GPS tracking systems have been used for years for vehicle tracking. A device, which receives location coordinates from U.S. satellites orbiting in space, is placed inside a vehicle.

When the vehicle tracking device is later removed and the data downloaded to computer to see where the vehicle was, it is known as passive vehicle tracking.

When vehicle tracking position coordinates are streamed live through a wireless network to a computer interface on the Internet, it is called real-time vehicle tracking

It is assumed the Indiana lawmakers are considering real-time vehicle tracking devices, adapted for personal tracking.

The technology is similar to GPS tracking bracelets placed on criminals out on parole, awaiting trial or under house arrest.

The Indiana legislation about GPS tracking rides on the coat tails of the Silver Alert law, which set up a media alert system for police to use when a disabled adult, or one with dementia, disappears.

 The Silver Alert program was passed this summer and it has been used a few times. The Silver Alert program is very similar to the Amber Alert program, which notifies the public when a child is believed to be abducted.

Sen. Patricia Miller, who chairs the Indiana Health Finance Commission, is already under fire by some senior citizen organizations for even suggesting GPS tracking  of the elderly.

She defended the idea of GPS tracking of seniors, saying that the language, built into legislation, was meant to be more of a fact-finding mission.

 Miller said committee members will have to find out how the GPS tracking systems would work and how much they would cost before they even start debating whether GPS tracking of seniors is appropriate action.

The director of public policy for the local Alzheimer’s Association had a chance to look over the draft of the GPS tracking law.

He said he thought the government meant well, but that he thought no law would ever fly if the government was stuck to the word “require.”

“Every senior citizen in the state is going to wear a GPS tracking device? That’s overkill,” said Michael Sullivan of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Still, I see merit if the GPS tracking program is changed to being voluntary.”

Sullivan suggested that the state sit back awhile and give the Silver Alert program a chance to work the kinks out, before adding the GPS tracking element to it.

He said the government could start slow and start collecting a registry of names of elderly people or their families, who are interested in this GPS tracking application. When and if the GPS tracking program takes off, the state would have a starting list of potential test subjects.