A small location tracker like an AirTag or Tile can help you find a missing loved one in minutes. Here’s how it works, where to put it, and what you need to know.

If your loved one ever drives off and doesn’t come back on time, a small device can show you exactly where they are, right from your phone.

A simple way to help find a missing loved one: AirTag and Tile location trackers

Apple AirTag and Tile are small tracking devices. You place one with your loved one in their wallet, purse, or car. If they go missing, you open an app on your phone and see where they are on a map.

They cost less than $40 and run on a battery that lasts up to a year. There’s nothing your loved one has to do. No buttons to press. No app to open. It just works quietly in the background.

These videos provide more information on how to set up a location tracker:

• Apple AirTag
• Life360 Tile

Where to put a location tracker on an elderly parent

The best spot is somewhere they always have with them. Here are the three best places:

• Wallet or cardholder — Most people take their wallet everywhere. Tile’s slim card tracker fits right inside like a credit card. No one will notice it’s there.
• Purse or bag — Clip or tuck a tracker inside. Attach it to an inside zipper so it stays put and doesn’t get taken out by mistake.
• The car — Put one in the glovebox or under a seat. If your loved one drives somewhere and gets turned around, you’ll be able to see where the car is right away.

Good idea: use two trackers — one in the wallet and one in the car. If your loved one walks away from the vehicle, you can check both locations at the same time.

Sharing a phone location is helpful when they have their phone with them

A lot of families try this first. You set up location sharing on your parents’ phone, and you can see where they are from your own phone. Simple, right?

The problem is that the phone has to be with them. People with dementia often forget their phone at home, leave it in the car, or don’t keep it charged. If the phone is sitting on the kitchen counter, it can’t help you find them.

A location tracker doesn’t have that problem. It’s small, it doesn’t need charging every day, and it doesn’t need your loved one to remember it. Put it in their wallet once, and it’s there whenever you need it.

Instructions to set up location sharing with phones:

• Google Maps instructions
• Apple Maps instructions

What is a Silver Alert, and how does a location tracker fit in?

A Silver Alert is a public notification system used across the United States to help find missing seniors — especially those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other cognitive conditions. When an elderly person goes missing, law enforcement can send out alerts through TV, radio, highway signs, and emergency systems to ask the public to help look for them. It works similarly to an Amber Alert, which is used for missing children.

Not every state has the same Silver Alert rules. Some states require a dementia diagnosis. Others have age requirements. The alert is only issued after a police report has been filed and enough information is available to make the alert useful. Silver Alerts are helpful — but they take time to set up. A location tracker can give you a head start while all of that is happening.

• 60% of people with dementia will wander at least once
• 50% risk of serious harm if not found within 24 hours
• 62% of Silver Alerts involve a missing car

Is it legal to use a location tracker on an elderly parent?

Tracking laws are different in every state and are changing quickly. To protect yourself, keep a copy of your loved one’s diagnosis on hand. If you have legal guardianship or power of attorney, keep that paperwork ready, too. You can check your own state’s laws at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Trackers are more than an emergency tool

A location tracker can give you one less thing to worry about day to day. That peace of mind can make it easier to say yes when your parent wants to drive to a friend’s house, run an errand, or stay in their own home a little longer. Many families use location trackers alongside other tools like medical alert systems, check-in calls, and home safety products as part of a broader plan to support aging in place. Together, these tools help elderly parents keep their independence — and help families feel good about it.

Related Articles & Resources

• An overview of different location tracking options
• Caregiver Conversation Guide: Location Sharing
• National Conference of State Legislatures
• Apple AirTag instructions
• Life360 Tile instructions
• Google Maps instructions
• Apple Maps instructions

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