Sheriff proposes ankle monitors for some seniors

(AP)—A northern Utah sheriff's office is floating a unique and unproven idea for keeping seniors with Alzheimer's disease and dementia safe: Give them ankle monitors normally used on criminals on house arrest or parole.

Davis County Deputy Sheriff Kevin Fielding says the monitors would allow deputies to quickly find a person who has wandered off. That would save lives and save taxpayer funds by avoiding time-consuming searches.

The monitors would be offered to residents at a cost of about $4 a day.

Alzheimer's Association officials commend the agency for working to keep people with dementia and Alzheimer's safe. But they say using the bulky ankle monitors is not a realistic solution because people won't want to wear them.

They say people are already reticent to wear tracking devices that look like bracelets and necklaces offered by private health care providers and some law enforcement agencies.