People with dementia are being provided with GPS locator devices as part of a pilot scheme trialled by an English county council.
The equipment will allow dementia sufferers or those with short-term memory loss to be found quickly if they go missing or are in trouble, according to East Sussex County Council.
It is hoped the technology, which has functions including an SOS button, alerting the authorities in the event of a fall, or triggering an alert if someone leaves a designated "safe area", will allow those using it to live independently for longer, a council spokesman said.
"It's vital we do everything we can to help people with dementia live independently in their own homes, and this technology can help us to do just that," said Councillor Bill Bentley, lead member for adult social care.
"This is not about keeping tabs on people. It's about keeping them safe, avoiding their suffering a fall or medical problems such as hypothermia and ensuring they can access help if they get into difficulty.
"This kind of technology is not right for everyone and is only being used where there are real benefits and with the full consent of the family, individuals and carers concerned.
"This is not about replacing good quality care but supporting it, keeping people safe and providing peace of mind for their loved ones."
The pilot scheme, run in partnership with Sussex Police, is being trialled with 12 clients referred by the council's adult social care team and five from the police.
Sergeant Lynda Lynch, missing persons' co-ordinator for Sussex Police, said: "We devote a huge amount of resources to missing person inquiries, which can include scouring CCTV and deploying officers to locations where they might be.
"This kind of technology enables us to locate missing people much more quickly and easily, ensuring we can get to them and bring them home safely before they come to any harm."
The six-month trial is part of a wider pilot of Telecare technology to help people in their home, which includes personal alarms and sensors to detect fires or falls.
At the end of the trial, the results will be examined to assess whether it should be extended to more people, a council spokesman said.
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