“When you’re in this situation as a caregiver and you suddenly find yourself the kid being the parent, everything is new and scary and frightening to you . . . anything that puts you at ease is a good thing,” Ramos said.

Upon moving in, each resident is given a “pendant” — a device, worn around their necks, that uses Wi-Fi to signal location in real time. Benchmark’s staff of about 30, who each carry an iPod Touch, can track residents on a map of the facility, represented on an iPod app. The system — hardware and software — is developed and sold to health-care facilities by Stanley Black & Decker.

Benchmark’s staff also uses the map software to tag residents who are prone to falling or wandering. If a staff member sees a wander-prone resident moving toward the exit on the map, he might check in more frequently than on a resident who regularly walks around at that time. If a resident at high risk of falling is shown to linger in one location for a long period — 30 minutes in the bathroom, for instance — the system alerts staff that he or she may have fallen.