Plans To Tag The Elderly ‘Smack Of Big Brother’
Plans to tag old people so they can be tracked by satellite received a mixed reaction today. Science Minister Malcolm Wicks said technology could be used to help families keep tabs on frail or elderly relatives. He said tags, similar to those used to monitor criminals, could help give more freedom to those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
{mosimage}Kate Jopling, of Help the Aged, said that at first glance the proposal smacked of “Big Brother”. But she said the potential of new technology to help vulnerable older people should not be dismissed.
Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, warned of “gimmicks” which are designed to replace expensive care. She said: “A debate about better care for the elderly is a good thing but technical gimmicks often provide cheap and quick fixes rather than dignified and possibly expensive care.”
Mr Wicks said the idea of using satellite monitoring to benefit society should be discussed. He said: “We’ve got an ageing population with many people frail and many suffering from dementia, including Alzheimer’s. How can we get the balance right so that these people have the freedom to live their lives, to go out in the community and go shopping?”
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