Wandering 911: What To Do When a Person with Dementia Goes Missing

Photo Credit: Jaylin Applebottoms

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Content provided by Home Instead Senior Care.

Even the best prepared families can find themselves in a panic after a loved one has wandered from home. “Three times my husband has wandered away from the house and become lost,” said one family caregiver. “EMTs, state police, bloodhounds, family and neighbors have come to the rescue.”

What should you do if you are unable to locate an individual who has Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia? Time is of the essence. Those who wander are often found within a half mile of home or the starting location of the incident. Look in the house—especially in areas like closets—and the yard.

Try to think of clues to where that person may have gone. Did Mom say she wanted to go somewhere—like the store—before the incident occurred? Look in the radius of that area, but allow no more than 15 minutes. If your loved one is not found within 24 hours, he or she could be harmed.

Here are the steps to take if you can’t find someone after 15 minutes:

Call 911 and fill out a missing person’s report. Make sure law officers know that the missing person has Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, and is a vulnerable adult. In such cases, law enforcement typically does not require a 24-hour waiting period to look for a missing individual. Have handy an updated photo and current medications list. Be prepared to share information about where and when the individual was last seen, what he or she was wearing when last seen, and if the individual likes to be called by a preferred name or nickname.

If you’re having trouble convincing law officers to take your concerns seriously, call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900. The Alzheimer’s Association will talk with law officers and confirm the need for immediate action.

The understanding of Alzheimer’s disease among law enforcement officers and emergency personnel has improved immensely in recent years. To that end, the Alzheimer’s Association has created an online training program for first responders here. Since the program was launched in 2014, more than 5,000 police and emergency personnel have taken the course. We’re really proud of this training and thrilled that first responders have embraced it.

For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org and the Home Instead Senior Care® Prevent Wandering^SM public education program at www.PreventWandering.com. In addition, check out the Home Instead Senior Care^SM network’s free MissingSeniorNetwork.com to learn more about how to notify your network of family, friends and businesses should a loved one become lost.