What If a Veteran Wanders Off? How Geofencing Helps Prevent Crisis Before It Starts
Veterans living with dementia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or stroke-related cognitive impairment face a daily risk that often goes unspoken: wandering. It happens quietly. A veteran steps out for air, misremembers a routine, or simply becomes disoriented. Suddenly, they’re gone.
Veteran Wandering Is Common—and Dangerous
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 6 in 10 people with dementia will wander. This includes veterans living independently, in community-based care, or even in supervised settings.
Wandering is not limited to memory loss. Veterans with cognitive challenges tied to PTSD, head trauma, or neurological conditions are also at risk.
In one real case, James Brady, 73, disappeared from a city center in Dundee. He had dementia. His wife lost sight of him for a moment—and he vanished. Police launched an urgent search. Luckily, he was found. But not every family is that fortunate.
What Is Geofencing?
Geofencing is a digital safety tool that allows caregivers to set virtual boundaries around a physical location. If the individual crosses that boundary, an alert is triggered immediately—often through a mobile app or monitoring center.
Geofencing is already used in mobile Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) to help caregivers monitor location passively, with full consent. These alerts are not constant tracking. They activate only when the individual exits a defined zone.
Why Geofencing Matters for Veterans
Prevention instead of panic: Alerts can go out minutes after a veteran leaves a safe area, giving caregivers a chance to intervene early.
Noticing what the veteran might not: Many who wander aren’t aware they’re lost. There’s no button pressed. No call made. Geofencing fills the gap.
Reducing search time: Location data helps responders act fast, potentially avoiding hours—or days—of emergency searching.
Caregiver relief: Veterans Affairs (VA) caregivers and family members report lower stress when digital boundaries are in place.
Privacy and Consent Come First
Geofencing should always be opt-in. Veterans or their care teams must be informed, and the systems must comply with HIPAA and VA privacy protocols. It’s not about surveillance. It’s about trust, protection, and getting ahead of a crisis.
Real Outcomes, Not Hype
Geofencing is not a cure. It won’t stop all wandering. But it gives care teams something they didn’t have before: a moment’s notice. That moment can be the difference between a safe return and tragedy.
Who Benefits?
Veterans with early-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s
Veterans in Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC)
Residents in VA-supported housing or memory-care units
Veterans with mild cognitive impairment from TBI or stroke
Final Thought
“What if a veteran wanders off?” is not a hypothetical. It happens. Geofencing won’t eliminate the risk, but it shifts the timeline—from reaction to prevention. That’s a change worth paying attention to.
