Project Lifesaver bracelet helps locate missing elderly woman in Guelph

Guelph police say a Project Lifesaver bracelet helped locate a missing elderly woman in a matter of minutes on Sunday.

Officers received a report that the woman, who is known to wander, had gone missing from her south-end retirement home.

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She was wearing a battery-operated Project Lifesaver bracelet and it led police to her in just 11 minutes.

“This type of search, without Project Lifesaver may well have lasted hours,” police said in a news release on Monday.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This type of search, without Project Lifesaver may well have lasted hours," police said in a news release on Monday.

The bracelet sends a radio signal 24 hours a day which can be picked up by a receiver within a two-kilometre radius. It is designed to help prevent individuals with cognitive disabilities — such as Alzheimer’s, dementia and autism — from going missing.

WATCH: A ‘Project Lifesaver’ wristband helps locate a missing senior in eastern Ontario

1:42 A “Project Lifesavers” wristband helps locate a missing senior in Madoc

Guelph police said it takes officers an average of about 30 minutes to find people with a Project Lifesaver bracelet and it has a 100 per cent find rate.

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“Project Lifesaver does not replace the position of a caregiver, but it is a tool that can save lives and reduce stress felt by family members,” police said.

Additional information regarding the bracelets can be found on Victim Services Wellington’s website or by calling 519-824-1212 ext. 7205.