3 Reasons You Need a WanderGuard System

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Resident wearing a Securitas Healthcare Arial pendant, entering room near an access point for WanderGaurd Blue.
3 Reasons You Need a WanderGuard System

Identify 3 of the top reasons why communities utilize WanderGuard systems.

Sixty percent of seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s tend to wander, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. When that happens, it can be disruptive at best, tragic at worst for your senior living community.  

You need effective tools for keeping at-risk wanderers safe while maintaining their dignity and quality of life. A WanderGuard system is what more than 6,500 senior living communities trust to meet that important goal. 

How Does a WanderGuard System Work?

A WanderGuard system relies on three components: bracelets that residents wear, sensors that monitor doors and a technology platform that sends safety alerts in real time.  

When a resident with a bracelet approaches a monitored door, the system alerts your caregivers. Even more important, when paired with optional magnetic door locks, the door automatically locks. When a caregiver needs to escort a wander-prone resident outside the safe area, the caregiver can use a secure code to bypass the system. The system also works in areas without physical doors. These virtual boundaries help a community feel welcoming without compromising safety. 

1. Keep Your Wander-Prone Residents Safe

It’s virtually impossible to predict when a resident may try to wander. And you can’t expect staff to track every resident at every moment of the day. That’s why it’s critical to support your people with a WanderGuard system that helps to ensure your community is always prepared. The right wander management solution offers discreet technology to keep your residents safe while maximizing their dignity, independence and freedom. A WanderGuard system can also make your community more open and flexible. For example, this system can help elopement-risk residents stay safely in Assisted Living rather than moving to Memory Care. This capability may help in addressing staffing and occupancy needs, such as keeping spouses together.

2. Reduce Costs & Adverse Events

When a resident gets hurt due to unsafe wandering, it’s a tragedy for the individual and their family. It can also come with a high cost for you in the form of reputation damage and hundreds of thousands of dollars in claims. A WanderGuard system positions you to prevent wandering from turning into an adverse event, helping protect your image and your financial stability.

3. Achieve Peace-of-Mind Throughout the Community

On a day-to-day basis, a WanderGuard system provides another layer of reliable prevention and protection. Your busy staff will benefit from this second set of eyes. And your senior living community can provide assurance that residents are always safe – even when they are not under direct caregiver supervision.

How would a WanderGuard system transform the way your senior living community protects at-risk wanderers? How much time and peace of mind could a WanderGuard system offer to your caregivers? As you evaluate your options, take a closer look at the three essential components to a WanderGuard system. Then explore the key considerations to ask as you select a wander management solution.