Expert Adelle Stanley, Director of Alzheimers Programing for Agape Senior, talks about safety considerations for primary caregivers.
Let’s talk about IT before we need to talk about IT.
Over the next several blogs we will discuss what you need in case of….
Planning ahead is always best.
Everyday across the USA this scene plays out somewhere:
911…"what is your emergency"
“My wife is gone! I just stepped into the other room for a few moments, came back and she was gone! I checked with the neighbors, in our house, up and down the street.”
911…"sir does she leave often?"
“NO you don’t understand she has Alzheimer’s disease, I have to find her”“ Please send someone fast to help me find her” now sobbing.
Law enforcement officers and rescue teams respond to incidents of missing Alzheimer’s persons every day. While the number of Alzheimer’s patients are increasing and these incidents increase; People with a loved one that have Alzheimer’s seem to take too lightly the danger a missing Alzheimer’s person faces until it happens to their family.
FACT: If a missing Alzheimer’s person is not found within 24 hours they only have a 54% chance of survival and less in very cold or very hot weather.
1) When a loved one is missing, time is critical. The sooner you find them the sooner you can keep dangerous situations from happening.
2) They may not be able to see as well and may mistake a stranger for a friend. It doesn’t take long for someone with harmful intentions to recognize the person with Alzheimer’s, and they may be taken advantage of.
3) The person with Alzheimer’s may be looking for someone that lives miles away but think they are just around the next corner.
4) They may have been looking for HOME and not realize they were standing in their own yard so went looking to find HOME.
The wandering or elopement is usually thought out by the person with Alzheimer’s. They may be looking for a way BACK or something they recognize and just keep walking or driving. You never know when the next stage will occur or when wandering will happen. The person with Alzheimer’s may be fine that morning and by mid-morning change completely.
I once knew a family that said the person with Alzheimer’s had not driven for several years. The family thought they had all the keys to the car. The person with Alzheimer’s liked seeing the car in the driveway. They checked on the person often because they lived next door. They looked out the door and realized the car was gone. The family thought someone stole the car. They went over to check on the person with Alzheimer’s and they were gone. It has been over 5 years now. The police found the car two states away but they never found the person with Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are some important things to do first.
1) Let your local police and fire department know that your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease and important phone numbers to call if they should find the person.
2) If you call in a missing report do not check the whole neighborhood. Call the police if you cannot find the person with Alzheimer’s around your house. Minutes matter. After you call the police continue to look in the neighborhood. If you find them you can call back to let the police know you found them.
3) If the police or rescue squad gets there and you have not found them you will want several items right away.
Make a notebook with these items in it:
1) Recent Photos, not over a year old or 6 months if they are losing or gaining weight. These are best taken with everyday things that the person may like. For a lady that may be her pocketbook, or a man a cane.
2) If they wear glasses take a picture with glasses on and off.
3) If they wear dentures take a picture with dentures in and out.
These are some suggestions to consider: These are items that help if the person is missing
www.alz.org/safetycenter/we_can_help_safety_medicalert_safereturn.asp
www.alz.org/comfortzone/
www.projectlifesaver.org/
There are other wander prevention items that can be found on the internet. These are the ones I am familiar with.
The next blog will give more tips for what to have in case someone wanders and other information IF…
Thank you for taking time to read today’s blog.
If you would like to have a presentation at your church, civic organization or for a group, contact http://askagape.com/ we would like to help in your community too. Presentations are free of charge.
Adelle Stanley
803-730-1220
Director of Dementia Programs
Agape Senior Services
Of all the things in life that matter, Family, Friends andFaith are the most important. Treasure these and you will always be rich.
