Are you still worried about that an elderly relative suffering from Alzheimer's possibly wandering off? Well, you may find some comfort with this new application of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

The device has been tested in Shanghai's Hongkou district for tracking the movements of elderly people with mental health problems so they don't get lost.

Children kiss an elderly couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in Tianjin on Friday, a day before the traditional Chongyang Festival, a time to show respect to the elderly. [China Daily]

This development precedes the upcoming Chongyang Festival on Saturday. The festival, which falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, is set aside to show filial piety and respect for the elderly.

"Protecting elderly people, especially those with mental health problems, by keeping them from wandering off, has long posed a major challenge for those trusted with their care. We often get reports that an elderly person is lost, or has wandered away from home, and some have even died from it," said Gong Linglin, deputy director of Hongkou's office in charge of aging-related problems.

"I think using some technology creatively could make a change," Gong told China Daily on Friday. "It does offer a more effective and promising solution."

The method is quite simple: a small device, worn on the wrist like a watch, sends a signal via global positioning satellites. If an elderly relative walks away from home, a short text message is immediately sent to the mobile phone of the person responsible, giving the exact position of the missing person. About 35 elderly people in the city are currently using the device.

Another option soon to be announced is an emergency system for elderly people living alone. The monitoring system automatically tells the relative via e-mails or text messages if an elderly person has been motionless for longer than 10 hours.

Similar high-tech devices for protecting the elderly are expected to be available across the city in several months after the Hongkou test, a Shanghai civil affairs bureau official said.

Another benefit of the GPS device is the cost: about 800 to 1,000 yuan (US$120-145) for the device, making it affordable for many families, Gong said.

Young people hail the device.

"It's quite useful, especially for children who have jobs. You cannot be expected to keep an eye on your aged parents every minute, and you have to keep telling them not to go too far," said one 38-year-old woman surnamed Zhang.

"And the device provides a better quality of life for the parents by giving them some independence and freedom of movement. You can have peace of mind knowing where they are," she said.

China's most populated city now has 3.16 million permanent residents who are 60 or above. Of these, about 570,000 are above 80. Meanwhile, life expectancy in the city is slightly more than 81 years. By 2020, a third of its people will be 60 or more, according to population experts.

To deal with the problems caused by an increasingly aging population, Shanghai is having to make an extra effort to come up with new policies - and high-tech solutions.

It established a center earlier this year to offer technical support for elderly people. Now, it's thinking of a technology research center to promote welfare for the elderly through creative concepts, according to the city's civil affairs bureau.

(China Daily October 16, 2010)