GPS Trackers for People with Dementia: A Practical Guide for Australian Families

Why GPS Tracking Matters in Dementia Care

Dementia changes how a person moves through the world. As the condition progresses, many people begin to walk outside their home - sometimes at night, sometimes in poor weather, often with no clear sense of where they are going or how to return. This behaviour, sometimes called wandering, is one of the most distressing aspects of caring for someone with dementia, and one of the most difficult to manage safely.

GPS tracking does not stop wandering. Nothing reliably does. But it closes the gap between a person leaving home and a family knowing exactly where to find them - and that gap is where serious harm tends to happen.

This guide is written for Australian families supporting someone with dementia who are weighing up whether GPS tracking is right for their situation, what to look for in a device, and how to approach the conversation with the person they are caring for.

Understanding Wandering in Dementia

Wandering is a broad term used to describe a range of movement behaviours that occur in dementia. It can mean walking continuously without a clear destination, attempting to leave the house to go to a place that was important earlier in life, or becoming distressed and disoriented when outside. Dementia Australia notes that wandering is common for people living with moderate-to-advanced dementia and is typically related to unmet needs, distress, boredom, or the pull of habitual memory rather than deliberate intent.

This matters when choosing safety tools, because understanding what drives wandering changes how you respond. A person heading towards a workplace they retired from 20 years ago is following a deep memory. A person walking at 2am in winter is experiencing disorientation and distress. In both cases, the immediate priority is the same: locating them quickly and calmly bringing them home.

The risks of wandering are not confined to getting lost. A person with dementia who has left home alone may:

• Be unable to communicate who they are or where they live
• Fail to recognise traffic, weather hazards, or unsafe terrain
• Become increasingly distressed as disorientation deepens
• Enter an unfamiliar area far from home before anyone notices they have gone
• Be exposed to heat, cold, or dehydration if not found quickly

The danger is highest in the period before the family is even aware the person has left. An unlocked door, a moment of distraction, and someone can be several streets away before anyone notices. A GPS tracker changes that: it means the alert goes out the moment something changes, not after the family realises the person is gone.

Nighttime wandering is a particularly high-risk variant of this. Dementia Australia notes that people with dementia may wake at night feeling completely disoriented - believing it is daytime, or responding to a dream as if it were real. They may leave home inadequately dressed for cold weather, without shoes, or without any identification. Because the rest of the household is asleep, the absence may go unnoticed for much longer than it would during the day. This is one of the clearest illustrations of what GPS tracking makes possible: the moment a carer wakes and realises the person is missing, they can check the app and see exactly where they are - rather than beginning a blind search in the dark with no idea which direction the person went.

How GPS Tracking Works for People with Dementia

GPS (Global Positioning System) uses satellite signals to determine the location of a device in real time, anywhere with mobile network coverage. For dementia care, this means a small wearable device on the person with dementia allows nominated family members or carers to see exactly where they are at any given moment - on a phone, through an app, or as a link in a text message.

In everyday use, GPS tracking for dementia works at two levels.

The first is routine location visibility. Family members or carers authorised through the device's app or portal can check the person's location at any time. This is useful for general reassurance - confirming the person is still at home, or verifying that a walk to the local shops has not become an extended absence. The location updates at regular intervals, with the frequency adjustable depending on the level of monitoring needed.

The second is emergency alerting. When the emergency button is pressed or when fall detection activates, the device automatically sends an alert - typically an SMS message that includes a Google Maps link showing the person's current GPS location - to up to five nominated contacts. This means the family knows immediately that something has happened, and knows exactly where the person is.

The critical design principle for dementia is that none of this requires any action from the person wearing the device. They do not need to press a button, open an app, or remember anything. The device does the work.

What to Look for in a GPS Tracking Device for Dementia

Not every GPS device marketed for safety is equally suited to dementia care. The design requirements for dementia are different from those for general elderly safety, because the person wearing the device cannot be relied upon to operate it or manage it. Here is what matters most.

• A form factor the person will wear without resistance. A GPS tracker is only useful if it stays on the person. For dementia care, this typically means a device worn on a lanyard around the neck rather than on the wrist or carried in a pocket. It does not require the person to remember to put something on each morning, and it is difficult to remove accidentally. Wrist-worn devices are more likely to be taken off; pocket devices are easily left behind.
• Real-time location and location history. The ability to see where the person is right now - and where they have been - is the core function. Location history allows families to identify regular patterns (the person always goes to the park two streets away, for example), which helps in locating them quickly when an alert fires.
• Alerts to multiple contacts. In a wandering situation, the person who responds first may be the one who happens to check their phone first. A device that can notify multiple family members or carers simultaneously - or in sequence - means the response is faster and does not depend on one person being available at that moment.
• No user input required. The device should operate passively from the wearer's perspective. No buttons to press for GPS to work, no app to open, no daily confirmation that it is active. GPS tracking should run continuously in the background, without requiring anything from the person with dementia.
• Remote management for carers. The carer should be able to check battery status, review location history, and confirm the device is active - all from their own phone, without needing to physically handle the device. This is particularly important in dementia care, where frequently taking the device from the person to check on it is impractical and disruptive.
• Nationwide coverage. The device should work across Australia, including when the person travels to visit family in another city or moves to a care facility in a different suburb. Check that it uses a major Australian mobile network rather than a smaller carrier with limited regional coverage.
• Emergency button and fall detection. Wandering is one of the most visible concerns in dementia, but it is not the only one. Falls are also more common in people with dementia than in the broader elderly population. A device that includes GPS tracking, a manual emergency button, and automatic fall detection addresses multiple risks without requiring a second wearable.

Talking About GPS Tracking: Consent, Dignity, and the Right Conversation

GPS tracking raises genuine ethical questions for families. There is a real tension between a person's right to privacy and freedom of movement on one hand, and their physical safety and the practical realities of dementia on the other.

Dementia Australia recommends having a conversation with the person about the use of GPS devices while they still have the capacity to participate in that discussion - ideally as part of a broader safety planning conversation that happens early, before wandering has become a serious issue. Making that decision together, while it is still a joint decision, respects the person's autonomy and reduces the risk of conflict or distress later.

The reality many families face is that they only start thinking seriously about GPS tracking after a wandering incident has already occurred - sometimes after a frightening one. At that stage, the person may no longer be able to meaningfully consent. In those situations, families (and often a treating clinician or support coordinator) weigh the person's privacy against their safety, and most conclude that the risk of serious harm from an undetected wandering episode outweighs the privacy consideration.

How the device is framed can make a meaningful difference. Presenting a GPS tracker as surveillance - "so we can keep an eye on you" - is likely to be resisted. Presenting it as a safety device that allows more freedom - "it means you can go for a walk and we do not need to worry" - is often received more positively. For many people with dementia, knowing that help can find them quickly provides genuine comfort rather than distress.

It is also worth noting that a carer who knows they can locate someone immediately is more likely to allow the person to move freely around the home and garden. The alternative - constant physical supervision, locked doors, or preventing the person from going outside at all - is more restrictive, not less. GPS tracking, used thoughtfully, typically expands rather than reduces the person's practical freedom.

How KISA GPS Tracking Works

KISA's range of safety and communication devices - the KISA Guardian, the KISA Companion, and the KISA Phone - all include GPS tracking as part of the service. Each device is worn on a lanyard around the neck, so it is always with the person and requires no effort from them to maintain.

The KISA GPS tracking service works as follows. Authorised contacts - family members, carers, or support workers - can check the person's location at any time through the MyKISA app or web portal. Location history is stored on Australian-based servers, so carers can review where the person has been throughout the day, not just their current position. The frequency of location updates is adjustable.

When an emergency button is pressed or when fall detection activates, the device automatically sends an SMS to up to five nominated contacts. That message includes a Google Maps link showing the person's exact current GPS location. Nominated contacts can use that link to navigate directly to the person. The entire sequence requires no action from the person wearing the device.

It is worth being clear about one aspect of how alerting works: GPS location is sent to nominated family contacts via SMS. The 24/7 monitoring service does not currently receive GPS location directly - the Google Maps link goes to the family contacts you have nominated. When the emergency button is pressed, a monitoring operator answers the call and can speak with the person through the device, but it is the nominated contacts who receive the location link. For families who want professional backup available around the clock, the monitoring service provides that layer without replacing the family's direct involvement.

The relevant KISA device depends on the person's age and funding pathway:

• KISA Guardian - designed for Australians aged 65 and over. Typically funded through the Support at Home program's assistive technology and home modifications budget. Includes GPS tracking, automatic fall detection, a large emergency button, and two-way voice communication - all in a single device worn on a lanyard.
• KISA Companion - designed for NDIS participants under 65. The same core features, available through NDIS assistive technology funding. Dementia affects people of working age as well, and the KISA Companion is the appropriate device for NDIS participants managing dementia-related safety needs.
• KISA Phone - available for private purchase without a government funding pathway. Suitable for families who want to move quickly, who are not yet enrolled in a funding program, or whose relative does not currently meet the eligibility criteria for Support at Home or NDIS. All the same GPS and safety features, no referral or assessment required.

All three devices operate in the same way from the wearer's perspective. The differences are in how they are funded and which audience they are designed for.

Each KISA device also has identifying information on the back, which can include the wearer's home address or the address of their care facility. For someone with dementia who has wandered and cannot communicate where they live, this provides a practical safety net that works independently of GPS: a member of the public, a shopkeeper, or emergency services who encounters the person can read the contact details directly off the device and arrange to get them home safely.

For families who are also thinking about communication - how the person with dementia makes and receives calls as the condition progresses - our guide to phones for people with dementia covers that alongside the broader safety features.

GPS Tracking and Fall Detection: Two Concerns, One Device

Wandering is the most visible safety concern families think about when they first start looking at GPS trackers for someone with dementia. But falls are a close second. People with dementia are at higher risk of falls than the broader elderly population, partly because of the spatial disorientation that dementia causes, and partly because cognitive changes make it harder to respond after a fall - to understand what has happened, to remember the device, or to press a button for help.

KISA devices address both concerns in the same wearable. Automatic fall detection works alongside GPS tracking on the same device. When a fall is detected, the response is the same as when the emergency button is pressed: the device alerts nominated contacts via SMS, including a GPS location link. For someone with dementia who has fallen and cannot respond, this is the automatic safety response that a button alarm alone cannot provide.

Having both features in a single device worn on a lanyard means the person does not need to manage two separate pieces of equipment. The same item that monitors their location and alerts the family if they leave home also detects falls and calls for help if one occurs. For families who have been considering a GPS tracker for wandering and a fall alarm for fall risk separately, it is worth knowing that these are not necessarily separate purchases - one well-designed device covers both.

Funding Options for GPS Tracking in Australia

The cost of a GPS tracking device does not have to come out of pocket. There are two main government-funded pathways that can cover a KISA device for a person with dementia, depending on age and eligibility.

Support at Home (aged 65 and over)

The Support at Home program includes an assistive technology and home modifications budget - known as the AT-HM scheme - that can fund safety and communication devices for eligible participants. The KISA Guardian is the device designed for this pathway. The process typically involves a needs assessment by a registered allied health professional or occupational therapist, who recommends the device as part of a broader support plan. More detail on eligibility and the referral process is on the Support at Home and Home Care page.

NDIS (under 65)

For Australians under 65 with dementia who hold an NDIS plan, GPS tracking devices may be funded under the Assistive Technology budget category. The KISA Companion is designed for NDIS participants. A supporting assessment from an AT Advisor or occupational therapist may be required depending on the participant's plan. The NDIS assistive technology page covers the process in more detail.

Private purchase

For families who need to act quickly, who are not yet enrolled in a funding program, or who prefer not to go through the assessment process, the KISA Phone is available as a private purchase. There is no referral or eligibility check required. Some families use the KISA Phone while waiting for a Support at Home or NDIS plan to be approved, then transition to the Guardian or Companion once funding is in place.

If you are unsure which pathway applies to your situation, the KISA team can help you understand the options during a free consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a GPS tracker stop a person with dementia from wandering?

No. A GPS tracker does not prevent wandering - it does not lock doors or restrict movement. What it does is tell you exactly where the person is the moment you realise they are missing. Instead of searching an unknown area with no idea which direction they went, you can open the app and navigate directly to them. The goal is to reduce the time between the person leaving home and help reaching them, which is where the most serious harm tends to occur.

Do I need a separate GPS tracker and a personal alarm, or can one device do both?

One device can do both. KISA devices include GPS tracking, a manual emergency button, and automatic fall detection in the same wearable. The person with dementia does not need to wear or manage two separate pieces of equipment. When the emergency button is pressed or a fall is detected, the response automatically includes a GPS location link sent to nominated contacts.

Will the person with dementia need to do anything for GPS tracking to work?

No. On KISA devices, GPS tracking is continuous and passive. The person wearing the device does not need to press a button, open an app, or do anything to maintain it. Authorised carers can check the location at any time through the MyKISA app or web portal.

What happens if the person with dementia takes the device off?

If the device is not being worn, GPS tracking does not follow the person. For this reason, a form factor the person is unlikely to remove is important. Devices worn on a lanyard around the neck tend to stay on more reliably than wrist-worn devices, which are more likely to be taken off and left on a table. Establishing a consistent routine around wearing the device - treating it as a normal part of getting dressed each morning - helps with this.

Can GPS tracking for dementia be funded by the government in Australia?

Possibly, depending on age and eligibility. Australians aged 65 and over may be eligible for funding through the Support at Home program's assistive technology budget. NDIS participants under 65 may be able to fund a GPS device through their assistive technology budget. The KISA team can help you identify the right pathway during a free consultation.