Alzheimer's Patients Who Wander away from their homes

Here’s a shocking statistic we found on www.gpsshoe.com 60% of Alzheimer’s patients wander away from their homes or care facilities at some point. Half of those who aren’t found within 24 hours end up severely injured or dead. Here’s another shocker: By the year 2050, there will be 16 million adults with Alzheimer’s in the U.S. alone. Which means 3 million mothers, fathers, siblings, neighbors, grandparents, and friends could go missing.

According to Professor Andrew Carle, it’s actually harder to find a missing senior citizen than a missing child. Why? Because when a child’s all alone, it seems odd, so passersby pay attention. However, adults with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or schizophrenia often look normal, and may simply be overlooked. Edward Rochford, the sheriff of Morris County, New Jersey, says that even with 50 rescue workers searching, it can take more than eight hours to find a missing person. Which is way too long for a senior citizen who may be frail, disoriented, or need medication.