What To Do With a Wandering Parent

This month, Omaha.com published a story about a missing 84-year-old man from Lancaster County. The man has Alzheimers disease and dementia. After being reported missing, he was found a day later in Lyons, Kansas. At Encompass, we hear stories like this all the time from families with loved ones suffering from Alzheimers. It is not uncommon for families to seek help after a terrifying experience like a loved one going missing. We know every patient and family have different desires or wishes“ some want to keep their wandering parent in their own home for as long as possible, others might want to find the safest facility for their loved one now. Encompass can guide you in the best direction, whatever the particular situation with your wandering loved one is. In the mean time, here are five instant things you can do to feel better about your wandering parent.

• Notify your neighbors.
• House alarms can alert you if you’re living with a wanderer.
• Medical ID jewelry “like a bracelet or pendant“ is a good idea.
• There are also GPS bracelets/necklace that can track a vulnerable person that I usually recommend purchasing through the Alzheimer’s Association.
• Make sure someone has access to an online bank account. In this opinion article from the Washington Post, the writer points out that some online banking accounts can give instant transaction information that can help locate your missing loved one faster.

There are other tricks that can be used depending on why they wander“such as putting a black rubber mat that might trick them into thinking there is a hole by the door and then they are less likely to try and exit through that door.”

For more information or a more personalized consultation, contact Encompass Omaha.

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