A British government official suggested to Parliament last week that satellite geolocation technology might be used to help monitor the elderly and those suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, but the concept was met with ethical concerns and some derision as "tag-a-granny."

Speaking at an April 18 parliamentary hearing of the Commons science and technology committee, Malcolm Wicks, Britain’s Minister of State for Science and Innovation, was quoted in British press reports as asking "are there other uses of satellite technology which could benefit society? For example, we’ve got an aging population, with many people frail and many suffering from dementia, including Alzheimer’s."

While he had not formally addressed the idea, Wicks said that satellite tracking could feasibly help the aging population by allowing patients at risk to move freely while still ensuring their supervision.

He proposed "let’s see if we can put the two of them together — not to be Big Brotherish or tag people like criminals, but to bring some security, safety, dignity and independence to a frail group of people."

Wicks noted "some might benefit from being monitored so that their families know they are safe and secure," adding "if we are able to have traffic monitoring, shouldn’t we be able to do people monitoring where there are concerns? If we can bring the same technology together there — it will have to be sensitive as we need to avoid a Big Brother approach — there could be useful applications for the welfare state."

According to figures cited by the Alzheimer’s Society, more than 700,000 British suffer from dementia, and the number of Alzheimer’s cases in Europe — currently estimated at 5.5 million — is expected to double in the next 50 years.

Responses ranged from calling the idea "tagging granny" to caution that new technology not be embraced too quickly, lest a cheap quick fix replace more personal, if more expensive, care.

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society responded in a statement that while benefits existed, ethical and practical issues had been ignored.

"Electronic tagging can certainly help people with dementia achieve greater independence and dignity, and reduce the concern and worry that carers may have about the person they care for," Hunt agreed, but added "we need to strike a balance between the benefits to an individual and the ethics of electronic tagging. There are a whole range of exciting technologies available to support people with dementia. Electronic tagging may give people with dementia greater freedom, but we need to talk to people with dementia and their carers to understand what is right for them."

Kate Jopling, senior policy manager for a service organization called Help the Aged, said "the key issue would of course be the involvement and consent of the individual, and their family and carers, to ensure that the technology means better care — not just care that’s cheaper or more convenient."