Alert Systems for People Living with Dementia who go Missing: Case Studies in Canada, Scotland, and the United States.

This was a qualitative study of experiences, not a test of whether alert systems reduce missing incidents or improve outcomes. Participants were recruited purposively through networks and social media, so they may have been especially interested in or supportive of alert systems. Most participants were White, so the findings may not fully reflect the perspectives of racialized groups. Home care and long-term care staff were not specifically recruited, so those service settings may be underrepresented. The interview guide was not pilot tested. Alert system implementation often lacked formal evaluation, and evidence of impact was mostly anecdotal.

The first author was funded by the Alzheimer Society Research Program/AGE-WELL Doctoral Award and the Canadian Nurses Foundation Kathleen Rowat Graduate Student Award. The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.

Do not read these stories as evidence that alert systems, GPS devices, or ID bracelets reliably prevent or resolve missing incidents. The study reports experiences and implementation challenges, and the authors note alert system impact was mostly anecdotal and not formally evaluated.