<previous  |  browse  | next>

(Page 2)

7. Home Safety Tips to Reduce the Chances of Wandering Off
Prevention is the best approach in reducing the chances of your loved one wandering outside and being at risk for potential life-threatening mishaps. It is important that you as a caregiver do whatever you can to reduce the chances of your loved one wandering. Caution should be given to any security measures that you take so that you do not obstruct or prevent yourself or others from getting out in an emergency.

State of the art technology is now available to assist caregivers with monitoring the presence of a person in a bed, room, home, or defined area. These easy to use devices are both affordable and reliable. They can greatly reduce or eliminate the possibility of a wandering episode while reducing caregiver stress.

These monitoring and tracking devices fall into the following categories:

1. Tab Alarms Activated by pulling a detachable tab worn by the person from the unit.
2. Motion Detector Units- Activated when a person steps into a predetermined range.
3. Monitoring Devices- (Listening/Viewing) Voice regulated systems that allow you to listen to certain areas of your home similar to using walkie-talkie systems. Closed circuit monitoring systems allow you via a small camera to visually view areas. Often used as security surveillance cameras.
4. Door Egress Alarms - Activated when a door is opened or shut.
5. Pressure-Release Alarms - Pads or other devices that measure the sensitivity to weight change in a bed or on a chair. Reduction of weight bearing activates these systems.
6. Pressure-Sensitive Alarms - When weight is placed on these mats it triggers the alarm. Usually used at doorways or steps.
7. Electronic/Radio Frequency Alarms- These highly sophisticated systems allow you to track or monitor the presence of a person in a predetermined area or room. Movement from one room to another alerts the caregiver.

You may want to supplement any monitoring device with the following measures:

• Reduce access to outside doors, stairways and other exits. However, CAUTION should be taken not to restrict emergency evacuation routes.
• Conceal doors with curtains or other objects that divert the person's attention away from exiting.
• Consider placing locks at bottom of door or other areas with which the person is not familiar.
• Use childproof door covers to prevent the individual from turning the knob.
• Use dead bolt locks requiring a key. Place the key in a close location that you can easily get to in case of an emergency. (Consider attaching the key to a string hanging it near to the door.)
• Reduce the chances of exiting through windows by installing safety latches.
• Landscape the outside of each exit using fencing enclosures or hedges. This type of perceived barrier may slow the person down if they were to be successful in getting outside.

8. Know the Danger Zones in Your Immediate Area
When confused people get lost, they may be in danger and not know it. Exposure to inclement weather, especially cold temperatures, can put the person at serious risk in a short period of time. As you make plans to have a neighborhood watch program, be sure to include the following danger areas for planning purposes. Strong consideration to any of the following areas should be given in your initial search efforts:

1. Do you live near a busy road or highway?
2. Is there a railroad nearby?
3. Is there water, including swimming pools, ponds or rivers nearby?
4. Is there a dangerous construction site nearby?
5. Is there a rock quarry close to your neighborhood?
6. Is there any rough terrain such as thick brush or dense woods nearby?
7. Are there any high cliffs or hillside ledges nearby?

Most of the time individuals with memory impairments such as AD follow the path of least resistance when traveling on foot. This could include a gravel road or a hiking path. Sometimes they may follow drainage or water runoff ramps. Know where these are in your neighborhood.

Because memory impaired people lose their ability to navigate and get around obstacles, the person may attempt to go directly through a heavy thicket or brush area. Be sure not to overlook these areas in your search efforts.

9. What You Should Do First - REMAIN CALM!
It is important to remember the information listed in this section. This will be of great assistance in helping the police search for the missing person. If someone that you are caring for has wandered off take the immediate steps:

1. Call the police immediately. Tell them that the person is memory impaired. Let them know of the urgency to locate this person quickly.
2. Inform the police of the special danger areas in your neighborhood.
3. Provide the police with a portrait photo of the person. The photo may be used to alert the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing person.
4. Describe what the person was last seen wearing. Provide them with as much detail as you can possibly remember.
5. Give the police any information about medical problems or special medications that the person is taking.
6. If tracking dogs or being use provide the search and rescue team with a scented garment of the person missing.

If the person is registered in an identification program for memory impaired, such as the national Alzheimer's Association Safe Return Program, call the registry's toll-free number informing them of the disappearance. Be sure to let the phone counselor know that you have already contacted the local police department.

10. Search the Immediate Area
The key to a successful rescue and return of the missing person is fast work. Some helpful recommendations during the this time include:

• Thoroughly checking all areas in your home and immediate premises before searching outside unless there are obvious signs (door open) that the person has wandered out.
• Activate your neighborhood block watch program. Ask everyone that you can to help in the search efforts.
• Ask someone to drive around your neighborhood. The person may be capable of moving long distances in a short period of time.
• Extend the search area in an outward direction or in a specific location if you receive reliable information informing you that the person has been seen. (Caution should be taken in verifying the informant's facts before changing your search area strategies.

Special precautions should be made when traveling with a person who is memory impaired. Make sure the person is wearing identification items such as bracelets or patches sewn or ironed onto their clothing. Do not leave the person with someone unfamiliar with the potential risks associated with memory impairment. Restroom stops should be monitored, as there may be more then one useable exit for the person to get out.

11. About Our Company
Life@Home, Inc. is a provider of safety, security and convenience solutions for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

The focus of Life@Home is to aid seniors and the disabled in gaining back or retaining their independence by creating a safer environment. Our primary objective is to provide the necessary resources for people who wish to maintain their presence in a home like atmosphere. We focus on three areas of concern: safety, security, and convenience. Our services and products offer a more economic solution for those who desire to remain at home.

Our Life@Home representatives can assist you in making an evaluation of the most common areas in your home that pose the greatest likelihood of injury to yourself or your loved one.

Making your home safer today will keep you accident-free tomorrow. Call on us to find out how!

<Page 1>