My dh locked himself out of the house and I wasn't aware of it. I was home at the time. He forgot we have a key hidden for such an emergency. He forgot to go on the porch and ring the bell. He forgot to walk around and knock on a window of a room I was in. Fortunately it wasn't cold. He just sat in the car in the garage. Didn't take long for me to miss him so I quickly found him. I doubt if he would ever remember to push a button. Can't use a phone anymore either so a cell phone in his pocket wouldn't work. A device I could use to track him would be good. It is so frightening when this happens.
There are many different types of tracking devices for Alzheimer patients. Check with your local police/sherrif's department. Some offer bracelets that cannot be taken off. If you notice the person is gone, you alert the police, and they can track him/her on the ground and with helicopters if necessary via the GPS in the bracelet.
Google Alzheimer's GPS, and a lot of sites come up that offer different types of devices.
Is this irony or what. A few years ago as dh was driving onto the main road from our driveway he saw a man walking down our road. We live out of the city and the houses are far from the road on five acre lots. Just about one half mile is a sub division with sidewalks but there aren't sidewalks where we on so the man was on the road. DH recognized the man and asked him if he needed a ride and he replied I sure do I think I'm lost. We knew he had az and where he lived. DH took him home and the man did remember only his house number because he wasn't sure just where his house was. Now DH hasn't begun to wander but he is confused when we drive anyplace. We are in a small town where we've lived over 45 years and go about the same places all the time but he can't remember where we are going some of the time. I just don't feel comfortable for him to drive himself anyplace. I don't want to be looking for him even in a small town. Had DH not seen the man he could have wandered into a wooded area across the road or on out to the state natural area which has no houses. So thankful dh was there to help him.
My husband drives but I will not let him go anywhere without me. He most likely will get lost. He finds his way back by landmarks. Of course, the fact that we travel so the area is new does not help. When we go back to areas we have lived at for years at a time, he has trouble remembering how to get around. Because his dad got lost while driving by himself, I think it weighs on his mind. So far he has no problem only going with me along - he knows he can't find his way back.