Pop culture has oftentimes put a comedic spin on senility. One popular television show documents the adventures of a young man raising his daughter while living with his parents and his senile grandmother. The senile grandmother is the comedic relief. But Dementia is not a fun or a funny condition. One form of Dementia, Alzheimer’s (sometimes misspelled as alzaimer or alzeimer), affects over 5 million individuals in the United States alone. Many difficult behaviors can result from this tragic mental degeneration, but one of the most dangerous symptoms in Alzheimer’s is wandering.
Over half of those suffering with Dementia will at one point wander. But what is wandering? Some might picture a frail older person wandering the hallways of their home, but there is more to it than that. In one recent case, a man in his eighties rode his mountain bike over 30 miles to get to the nearest beach. A Good Samaritan who saw him realized something was wrong and was able to get him connected with his family. While that particular account had a happy ending, the statistics are still grim.
Concerning persons that do wander, The Seattle Times reports:
If not found within 24 hours, up to 50 percent will be found dead or seriously harmed.
The Seattle Times
By Googling the phrase, “man with Alzheimer goes missing”, you will find over 5.5 million search results with link titles such as:
- Man, 83, with Alzheimer Goes Missing While Shopping
- Elderly Man Suffering From Alzheimer Goes Missing.
What is even more frustrating is that most people who wander are found within 1.5 miles of their home. Another puzzling issue is that there is really no trigger for wandering. There are no symptoms to look out for. Everyone with Alzheimer’s is at risk for wandering. So what can be done? Knowledge is power, and The Alzheimer’s Association of America offers a number of resources to educate people on this growing epidemic.
There are many licensed board and care and assisted living communities that offer specialized care in secure environments for elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of Dementia. Care Placement can help you to locate the best providers for your loved one with dementia. Our services are provided free of charge for families, so give us a call at (619) 660-8814.
Resources for Wandering in Alzheimer’s
The Alzheimer’s Association of America aims to educate people and provide help.
Our Resources page offers a flyer from The National Institute on Aging with helpful Caregiver Tips, as well as information on local and national programs to help locate lost loved ones.
Learn about other forms of Dementia on our blog.
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