Help for Alzheimer patients

By John Kennett
Journalism 312

An episode of “Extreme Makover-Home Edition” and a promise to a dying mother have resulted in a program coming to Midland County that will help with Alzheimer patients, and autistic children, that have wandered off.

Project Lifesaver uses a GPS programmed wristband to track individuals that are at risk of wandering off. The program is used to provide safety for autistic children and older adults suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

“Project Lifesaver is a great tool to keep people safe and to protect loved ones,” said Capt. Tracy Thomas of the Midland County Sheriff’s Department. “It should make people feel more secure about their loved ones.”

In the spring of 2005, Midland resident Trisha Kayden saw an episode of “Extreme Makeover-Home Edition” which featured a family that included a son with autism.

As a way of providing comfort and security to the family, the crew of “Extreme Makeover-Home Edition” supplied the county with Project Lifesaver.

Kayden’s daughter, Hollie, 8-years-old, suffers from autism.

“We call Hollie, ‘mini-Houdini’,” Kayden said.

Shortly after viewing the episode of “Extreme Makeover-Home Edition”, Kayden’s mother, Fran Thomas, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Thomas became concerned what would happen with her granddaughter and desired to see Midland County implement Project Lifesaver.

During the final stages of Thomas’ life, Kayden made a promise to her mother that she would see the birth of Project Lifesaver in Midland County.

After contacting Project Lifesaver’s national headquarters in Virginia, Kayden was informed that the program could only be administered through a sheriff’s department.

She began working closely with the Midland County Sheriff’s Department to see her dream being closer to implementation. Kayden hopes to see the project put into operation sometime in late April.

A grant from the Midland Foundation has been instrumental in funding the project. Each start-up kit costs $300 with $12 per month for replacement batteries.

Edited by Sheri Krotzer and Ben Evers