Hong Kong police plan citywide distribution of tracking devices to households with family members suffering from dementia
- Planned expansion of Project Pinpoint, launched in 2022, started with 555 bluetooth tracking devices distributed for free to families in Kowloon East
- Force says pilot area recorded a 6 per cent decline in the number of lost people with dementia
Hong Kong police are planning to launch a citywide initiative to provide households in need with smart positioning devices to help locate family members with dementia, after a trial found missing person reports dropped amid the city’s overall rising trend.
The force on Saturday revealed that pilot area Kowloon East recorded a 6 per cent decline in the number of lost dementia sufferers, from 100 in 2022 to 94 in 2023, while the citywide figure increased 24 per cent from 358 to 444 cases.
“Getting lost can be dangerous for the elderly or those who are mentally incapacitated, and causes stress for their carers,” police chief Raymond Siu Chak-yee said.
“Police hope that the project can lower the risk of getting lost for those with dementia, at the same time relieve the stress of their carers.”
Since the launch of the Project Pinpoint in 2022, 555 Bluetooth tracking devices have been distributed for free to families in Kowloon East.