In 2015, an estimated 47 million people were diagnosed with dementia. Sadly, that number is expected to increase to 75 million by the year 2030. Dementia is an overall term that describes a range of symptoms, including chronic disorders of mental processes, memory loss, impaired reasoning, and personality changes that are sever enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which affected approximately 5.5 million Americans in 2017. Alzheimer’s disease destroys brain cells responsible for memory, thinking and behavior. As a result, people living with Alzheimer’s or a related disorder may become disoriented and lost, even in their own neighborhood or places that are familiar to them. Unfortunately, those suffering from dementia can often wander off and become lost. Now there is a better way to protect your loved ones suffering this disorder, known as scent preservation.
What is scent preservation?
Scent preservation is a simple kit that allows a sufferer of dementia to be easily tracked should they become lost. The kit consists of a sterile pad that is swabbed under the sufferers arm to hold their unique scent. The pad is then sealed inside of a container. In the event that the person goes missing, this pad can be utilized by a K9 unit to track their location and find them much faster than other search methods.
The use of scent preservation aided in finding a Florida woman who went missing on July 25th. She was found within 5 minutes of deploying a K9 and handler. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said she was missing for 2 hours before bringing in the search dog. The woman had made the kit, which potentially saved her life, 2 years earlier.
With a new case of dementia being diagnosed every 3 seconds, the disorder continues to threaten a large portion of society, but scent preservation aims to lower the number of sufferers who go missing and are not found until it is too late. If you would like more information on other ways to protect the health of you and your loved ones, call 724-929-2300. Our agents will work with you to determine your needs and get you a health or life insurance policy tailored to you at the best price.