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Williston, VT -- Twice in the recent past, police search teams have been called in to find elderly
people who wander away from their homes.
One Vermont woman is using the Care Trak system technology to keep track
of her husband, who suffers from a form of dementia. Neysa Peterson said it can be difficult keeping an eye on her husband,
Jim.
Jim Peterson suffers from Pick's Disease. Some days, Neysa said her husband doesn't even recognize
her. "Jim will ask me, 'What's your name', and 'Who are you?' He thinks I'm different
people in different parts of the house. "Neysa said. Three years ago, Neysa said, Jim's condition got
worse. Neysa said Jim disappeared, on two separate occasions while they were shopping together. That was the last
straw for Neysa, who contacted Clint and Mary Gray from Care Trak Northeast about a transmitter/bracelet to keep an eye on
her husband. The Vermont State Police Search & Rescue Team and the Vermont Sheriff's are trained and certified
in using the emergency locator to find missing persons wearing a Care Trak transmitter. The Care Trak Bracelet
is worn around the wrist. It transmits on a certain frequency that can be picked up by local authorities. Neysa
said just a week after placing Jim on the system, it was put to the test when Jim walked out the door while Neysa wasn't
looking. Jim was found a short time later lying on a neighbor's front lawn, but Neysa said she didn't panic
while looking for Jim because she knew he was wearing the bracelet. Currently the 13 of the Vermont Sheriff's Departments
have the emergency locator device and the Vermont State Police Search & Rescue Team are trained and certified in the use
of the emergency locator device.
Printed and published with the permission of the family of Jim Peterson.
Fairfax, Vermont - October 20, 2007
An elderly Fairfax man walked out of the woods safe and sound, but
looking tired and cold, Saturday morning. 75 year old John Kuhn disappeared from his home Friday afternoon. He
has Alzheimer's Disease. His family began the initial search. But night fell and fears rose, especially after
heavy rains drenched the region. Numerous agencies began to look for the missing elderly man as well. Search helicopters
were dispatched. A command post was set up at Kuhn's home. The search continued into the morning hours and
police hoped local hunters could help. And they did, said Earl Mongeon of Westford. "We were just coming
up the road this morning, went and talked to one of the farmers here - he had been seeing moose. We have a moose permit
for this area. So we decided to come back up here and hunt this morning and we got stopped by one of the troopers up
here. And he had a flier showing the missing person. So we said we's keep an eye out for him, and we were
kind of kidding after we left the trooper that we'd probably find him. Lo and behold, we found him."
Kuhn was found a mile away from his home.
"All of a sudden here comes this fella' with his walking stick
that he picked up along the way obviously. He had no shoe and I said right away that I know that was the guy right there"
said Mongeon's companion, Brian Zinger of Westford.
After a night of worry and frantic searched, Kuhn was reunited
with his family. He was brought to the hospital for evaluation before being released. His family says aside from
some bumps, burises and sore feet, he's doing fine.
Care Trak Northeast was contacted by the family to place
a transmitter/bracelet on John. The Franklin County Sheriff's Department is trained in locating individuals with
dementia wearing a Care Trak transmitter, along with the 12 other sheriff's departments. The Vermont State Police
Search & Rescue Team is trained and certified in locating individuals wearing the Care Trak transmitter.
For
information please contact either your local sheriff's departments/Vermont State Police or Care Trak Northeast directly
at 802-467-3496.
Printed and published with the permission of the family of John Kuhn.
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