Community must play role in caring for wandering elderly Upcoming activities aim to educate
An estimated 60 percent of Alzheimer’s patients will wander at some point, and 47 percent of those not found within 24 hours may die. But effective community awareness and action may help prevent these tragedies, according to a University of Florida researcher on aging.
Within the last few months, several incidents of lost elderly people have been reported locally, some having fatal consequences. A Starke man disappeared in early May and was found severely dehydrated in a ditch in Georgia. A man in Jacksonville wandered from his home on a rainy night and was hit and killed by the fire truck responding to a call to assist him. An elderly Hawthorne woman recently was found dead five days after she left her home.
More than 15 percent of Florida residents are age 65 and over, and the state’s population of senior citizens is expected to rise to more than 4 million by 2020. As the state’s aging population grows, so does its number of Alzheimer’s patients. In Alachua and surrounding counties, about 10,000 people currently have Alzheimer’s.
A research study performed by Meredeth Rowe, R.N., Ph.D., an associate professor at the UF College of Nursing and a core faculty member with the UF Institute on Aging, found that out of 675 cases of wandering patients, 86 percent of wanderers were found within five miles of their homes, with 37 percent of those found less than one mile away. All of those found dead were close to home.
These findings underscore the need for community involvement in preventing and solving these traumatic and often tragic situations. “The general public needs to be aware of this problem and realize that they, as society members, can do something to help,” Rowe said.
Rowe stresses education as a way of dispelling societal myths that exist about those with dementia. People often perceive the behavior of those with Alzheimer’s as “crazy” because of their unusual dress, incoherence, wandering and sometimes aggressive behavior. As a result, caregivers may be reluctant to discuss the diagnosis with anyone except close family, which may limit the ability of community members in assisting caregivers when patients become lost, Rowe said.
People also often believe that those with dementia who have never wandered will never do so and those who are in the presence of caregivers are safe from wandering. In fact, according to research, people with dementia may wander and become lost even if they have never wandered before and often do so while in the company of caregivers.
Upcoming community activities will attempt to educate caregivers and the public about preventive strategies concerning people with dementia becoming lost in the community. The North Central Florida Office of the Alzheimer’s Association will host a workshop, “Caring for the Caregiver” from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on June 20 at the Tower Club in The Village. The free program provides an opportunity for caregivers to relax and share everyday challenges and happenings with other caregivers. In addition, presentations by a panel of experts and networking with service providers will allow the caregivers to discuss the newest strategies in better caregiving. Rowe will be one of several guest panelists at the event.
“One of the main purposes of the workshop is to help all caregivers even though we specialize in Alzheimer’s patients,” said Lynda Everett, director of the North Central Florida Alzheimer’s Association. “First of all, we want them to relax because we realize that they need a major break. We also want them to be aware of the many resources that the Alzheimer’s Association provides such as support groups and the Safe Return program.”
The keynote speaker at the workshop, Carrie Knowles, is the author of “The Last Childhood,” an honest and heartfelt personal account of living with a loved one with Alzheimer’s. Knowles will have a book signing on June 19 at Goering’s Book Store where guests will have the opportunity to meet and discuss the book with Knowles.
On June 21, the association will host Safe Return Registration Day, part of a national Alzheimer’s Association program. The Safe Return program, established in 1993, provides identification jewelry that indicates that the person has a memory problem and lists a 24-hour toll-free crisis line to call. The $40 registration also enters patients in a national information and photo database, which can assist law enforcement officers in tracking down lost patients.
“The Safe Return program is essential for all persons diagnosed with dementia,” Rowe said. “When they become separated from the caregiver, this may be the only way that accurate information can be obtained about them and where they live. This program also can help coordinate a search if they become lost in the community.”
Registration activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alzheimer’s Day Care program at Gainesville’s First Christian Church. Since 1993, the program has registered an estimated 78,000 patients and has helped return about 6,300 people nationwide.
What can the average community citizen do to help those wandering elderly patients? According to Rowe, citizens should be aware that persons with dementia can become lost in the community and will need help finding their way back to safety. The older person you see acting unusually in the community may actually be someone with dementia who needs your help. Signs indicating someone may have dementia and may need help include: inability to remember own name, address or phone number; a tendency to ask repetitive questions; and an inability to stay focused or follow conversations. Those patients who are lost may be wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather or may be wearing clothes for sleeping; may be wandering aimlessly; or may be hiding in a secluded area.
Once an individual who appears to have dementia is identified, the helping person should look for clues such as a Safe Return ID bracelet or other forms of personal identification. Simple questions should be asked while facing the individual such as “Are you lost?” “What is your name?” or “Can I help you?” The helping person should try their best to lead the individual to a safe place and should remain with him or her at all times.
“A lack of information about the problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease may hinder the helping person from aiding in the search process for these patients,” Rowe said. “Awareness and education is the key to preventing tragic deaths.”