 The Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® program
assists in the safe and timely return of individuals with
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias who wander and
become lost. Based on a program developed at the New
York City Chapter and with financial support from the
United States Department of Justice, the Alzheimer’s
Association launched Safe Return in April 1993. It is a
nationwide program working at the community level. Safe
Return has expanded its outreach and enrollment in New
York City thanks to generous funding from the NewYork
City Council over the past two years.
We know that in stressful circumstances extra care must
be made to ensure the safety of persons diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s and other dementias. We also know that often
there are not enough hours in the day to get everything
done, especially with the burden of caregiving.
People with Alzheimer’s and other dementias are at risk
of getting lost if they are not in a safe, supervised situation.
Many persons with dementia (PWD) cannot remember
their names or addresses. They may become disoriented
and lost even in their own neighborhood or familiar places.
Six in ten people with Alzheimer’s disease will wander at
some time during the course of the disease. This behavior
can be dangerous and even fatal if the individual is not
found within a 24-hour period.
The Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return program is
available to assist caregivers, providing support during the
period that a PWD is missing, and afterwards to provide
direction and care planning to ensure his or her safety.
It is difficult to predict when a person will wander. The
following are some tips that might help alert you that the
PWD is getting ready to wander:
- Talking about wanting to “go home” even when they are at home
- Talking about or trying to go to work
- Being restless, fidgety, pacing back and
forth and making repetitive movements
- Feeling lost in a new or changed
environment
These are just some clues the
person with the diagnosis may communicate to you. Take
time to listen and watch—it may alert you to a possibly
dangerous activity.
Knowing what to do if the PWD wanders can also save
time and possibly save a life. It is important not to panic.
Search the immediate area where the person was last seen.
Call the police if he or she is not found within the first
seven to ten minutes.
You do not have to wait a 24-hour period to notify the
police if the person who is missing has been diagnosed
with Alzheimer’s or another related disorder. Call 911.
Inform the operator that the person is memory impaired
and at risk. A memory impaired missing person is designated
as a “Special Missing Category Case,” and all incidents
must be reported to the Police Department immediately.
When the police officers arrive,please ask them to report
the incident to the Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return
program at 1-800-572-1122.
Our Chapter Safe Return staff will provide support and
assistance to all caregivers,whether or not the person who
is missing is enrolled in the Safe Return program.
However, enrolling your relative in Safe Return provides
a significant measure of protection. We have a 99% return
rate for those who are missing and enrolled in the
program. The return rate for those who are not registered
is 83.33%.
Safe Return is a nationwide program working on the
community level. The program is available to you 24
hours a day, 365 days a year and offers translation in over
140 languages. Wandering is a potentially life-threatening
activity. Register the person you are caring for in Safe
Return today.
— Elizabeth Santiago,
Manager, Safe Return
For more information about Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® or the New York City Council Grant, please call Elizabeth Santiago at 646-744-2918 or click here.
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