Beijing to give seniors bracelets to prevent them getting lost

BEIJING -- In Beijing, 12,000 elderly people will receive free bracelets that could help prevent them from getting lost, local authorities said on Saturday.

The bracelets will be given to elderly people who have cognitive problems such as dementia, said Wang Ning, deputy mayor of Beijing.

The bracelets are equipped with GPS. By installing an app on their smart phones, children of the seniors can locate their parents. The elderly people can also make emergency calls with the bracelets.

China's population is aging. In 2015, about 222 million of the country's 1.3 billion citizens were aged 60 or older.

According to a survey by the Zhongmin Social Assistance Institute and a leading news platform Toutiao, 1,370 senior citizens go missing every day, with an average age of 76.

Measures are taken in Beijing to help the seniors. According to Wang, they are also installing emergency call devices and smoke detectors for elderly people living alone. By the end of November, the equipment will be given to at least 5,800 households.