Police in Argyll and Bute aim to launch an initiative to help residents suffering from dementia.
Officers want to be able to issue a ‘dementia safeguarding tag’ by the end of next month to people living with the condition, enabling them to be safely returned home if necessary.
When tapped against a mobile phone, the tag is designed to display the person’s name, home town and an emergency contact.
The tags are part of the Herbert Protocol, which was launched in the area in the summer of 2021 and has been well received.
Police Scotland said here had been an increase in incidents of people living with dementia who had been out in their community and become distressed, confused or disorientated, often in cafes, shops or on public transport.
A spokesperson added: “The normal response to this is that members of the public, normally those working in these premises, will engage with the person and try and lessen their distress.
“They will try and establish their name and an emergency contact. In most incidents, Police Scotland are contacted to assist as what we would class as a ‘concern for person’ incident.
“Upon officers’ attendance, normally two officers in high visibility police uniform and a marked police car, they will try and establish their identity and of course, their wellbeing.
“Whilst officers will always be compassionate in their response, their very presence can often increase someone’s distress, mainly owing to the uniform and police car.”
The details are given in a report to go before Argyll and Bute Council’s Bute and Cowal community planning group next week.
It adds that safeguarding tags would be given to everyone living with dementia and can be attached to a handbag, mobile phone, walking aid, house keys or clothing.
The tag looks like a keyring and is around round the size of a 2p coin, containing near field communication (NFC).
The report added: ““NFC is the mechanism that enables chip and pin cards to work and can be operated by a mobile phone to use for payment means such as Apple Pay.
“Every modern mobile telephone has NFC technology within it – it simply needs to be enabled in the same way as bluetooth or wi-fi. This doesn’t require an app and does not cost any money.
“Each tag is individually programmed and, when tapped against a mobile telephone, populates a message relative to the wearer.”
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