Wandering or Lost?

Often we talk about wandering when someone has dementia. What does wandering mean to you? Many families say that Mom/Dad doesn't wander. They've never wandered away from the house. They may go outside, but they never wander. Families may go on to say that Dad/Mom does get lost sometimes when going to the store (or other places), but never wander.

So is it the very word "wander" that is preventing us from keeping our seniors safe? How often have you seen on the news of a senior being lost? Often the outcome can be devastating for a family, especially during the extreme winter weather we have had this year. We need to have an honest discussion about what is happening during these unfortunate events. I believe most of these seniors left home with a purpose. They left to go to the store, a neighbor's house, the library, church of some other place with meaning to them. Unfortunately, something happened before they arrived at their destination. They got lost! They were not able to recall where they were going, or maybe could not recall how to get there. So they kept driving...or walking. Pretty soon, they were no longer able to recognize where they were. Instead of stopping to ask for help, they continue on their journey. Families begin to realize that their loved one is now missing. The police are contacted, an alert is issued and the search begins. Hopefully the missing senior will be located quickly before any tragedy occurs, but too often we read where the person has been found frozen to death, drowned in a creek or other body of water, or fallen with major injuries. What can we do to prevent these tragedies?

One of the simplest solutions is to invest in a simple GPS monitoring system. These are available through many companies as well as the Alzheimer's Foundation. The GPS can be worn as a bracelet or around the neck. Some of them also have an alert button and can detect falls.  If your loved one leaves homes, you can contact the monitoring company and they can very quickly locate him/her. Some of these systems can even notify you if your loved one leaves a designated area. This can allow your person to maintain his independence and keep him safe. The systems do require a monthly monitoring fee which is about the cost of a soda or candy bar per day.  And the peace of mind these systems can provide is priceless.

Baby, it's cold outside!

The weather is bitterly cold here in Indiana. It doesn't take long in this kind of weather for frostbite, hypothermia or even death to occur in the elderly. I have seen several reports of people who have wandered from their homes. What are you doing to protect your loved ones? There are many things you can do to create a safer environment to prevent wandering. 

1. Be aware that wandering is a possibility. And be prepared. If they have wandered once, they will wander again.

2. Put alarms on all exterior doors to alert you that the door has been opened. 

3. Get a motion sensor alarm to put above the bedroom door to alert you if your person leaves the room at night.

4. Use a baby monitor when you are in a different room so you can hear if anything is amiss.

5. Get a GPS system to help you locate your loved one quickly if they should leave home. Some of the life alert systems have a GPS built in and can be set to alert you if they go farther than a certain distance from home.

6. Even for seniors who do not have dementia they are at risk with the extreme cold weather. Please call and check on the seniors in your life. Make sure they have heat. Check in regularly. N

Let's keep our seniors safe. They depend on us! #dementia, #Alzheimer's