Canóvanas joins island Alzheimer’s registry
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
Canóvanas Mayor Lornna Soto Villanueva announced Tuesday the launch of the Municipal Registry of Persons with Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders, making Canóvanas one of the first municipalities to fully integrate into the Department of Public Safety’s (DSP) Alzheimer’s Patient Monitoring Unit (UMPA).
The new registry will allow caregivers and families in the municipality to more rapidly access the 24/7 monitoring system that uses various devices to locate participants in the event of disorientation or loss. The integration of Canóvanas comes after the DSP’s recent announcement regarding the expansion of the program to the 78 municipalities.
“Today we announce our own registration to accelerate our families’ access to the UMPA program, and to become a model municipality in the care of patients with Alzheimer’s,” Soto Villanueva said.
The municipal initiative directly complements the effort announced by DSP Secretary Arturo Garffer, who signed a collaborative agreement with the Alzheimer’s Association and Related Disorders to expand UMPA to the entire island. The program uses secure GPS watches, T-Mobile SIM and a keyed strap that only the caretaker can remove, in addition to geofences configured between 75 and 100 meters for early warnings.
Garffer highlighted the scope of the alliance and the support of the government.
“With the support of the Alzheimer’s Association and our partnerships with the Department of Health, the Office of the Veterans Attorney, and the Office of the Ombudsman for the Elderly (OPPEA), we continue to expand access and coverage of our services islandwide.”
The mayor stressed that the municipality will offer community orientations, assistance with the UMPA registration form, and direct accompaniment to caregivers, in coordination with the DSP and the Alzheimer’s Association. In addition, a municipal protocol will be established to respond jointly with the municipal police in cases of activation of missing person alerts.
UMPA currently maintains 179 watches delivered, 156 active participants and a 24/7 monitoring platform. The program already operates in municipalities such as Carolina, Fajardo, San Germán, Juana Díaz, Florida and Barranquitas as part of its expansion effort.
Families in Canóvanas will be able to register at the Integrated Services Center, at community events, or using the UMPA form available via QR code. Assisted registration will be offered for people with limited mobility.