Transcript Alzheimer Disease: A Resource for Police & Search and

Dementia and Wandering
Behaviour-Bringing
Individuals Safely Home
CCSMH-Sep 24-25, 2007
Enka Xhixha
Safely Home Coordinator, Alzheimer Society of Canada
Kari Quinn-Humphrey
Public Education Coordinator, Alzheimer Society of Toronto
There is no apparent conflict(s) of interest
that may have a direct bearing on the
subject matter of this presentation.
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The Alzheimer Society of
Canada
Is a federation of provincial and local offices nation-wide
dedicated to providing support, information and education
to people with Alzheimer's disease, families, physicians
and health-care providers; raising public awareness and
public education about the prevention of the disease.
one national office
 10 provincial organizations and
 more than 140 local groups across the
country.

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The Alzheimer Society of
Canada
Programs and Services
Research – 2.5 M annually invested in
Research
 Support and Information
 Public Awareness
 Safely Home

Help for today. Hope for tomorrow...
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Statistics

Over 35,000 people in Toronto have
Alzheimer’s disease or a related
dementia

An estimated 450,000 people in Canada
have Alzheimer’s or a related disease

By the year 2031, over 750,000
Canadians will have Alzheimer’s disease
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Dementia Defined
Alzheimer’s
Disease
Frontal
Lewy Body
Temporal Disease
Dementia
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Vascular
Creutzfeldt
Dementia
Jakob
Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease Defined

Progressive: the amount of damage
increases over time

Degenerative: the nerve cells/neurons in
the brain deteriorate

Irreversible: damage cause by disease
cannot be repaired
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Changes in the Brain

Neurofibrillary tangles

Amyloid plaque

Brain atrophy
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The Journey: Early Stage
Abilities Affected
Typical Symptoms
Mental Abilities
-Mild forgetfulness
-Difficulty processing new information
-Difficulty concentrating
-Problems with orientation
-Communication difficulties
Moods and Emotions
-Mood shifts
-Depression
Behaviours
-Passiveness
-Withdrawal
-Restlessness
-Anxiety
Physical Abilities
-Coordination problems
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The Journey: Middle Stage
Abilities Affected
Typical Symptoms
Mental Abilities
-Continued memory lapses
-Forgetful about recent personal history
-Disorientation re time and place
Moods and Emotions
-Personality changes
-Mood changes
Behaviours
-Declining concentration
-Repetition
-Restlessness/ WANDERING
-Delusions/Agitation
Physical Abilities
-Require assistance with daily tasks
-Disrupted sleep patterns
-Appetite fluctuations
- Visual spatial problems
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The Journey: Late Stage
Abilities Affected
Typical Symptoms
Mental Abilities
-Abilities continue to decline
-Inability to process information
-Severe disorientation
Moods and Emotions
-Range of emotions and feelings remain
-Possible withdrawal
Behaviours
-Non-verbal methods of communication
-Responds to music/touch
Physical Abilities
-Sleeps longer and more often
-Immobile/bedridden
-Loses ability to speak
-Incontinence
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Wandering Defined
Purposeful behavior that attempts
to fulfill a particular need
 The tendency to move about, either in a
seemingly aimless or disoriented fashion, in
pursuit of an indefinable or unobtainable goal
(Snyder)
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“All people with Alzheimer’s disease
and related dementias should be
considered a risk of wandering and
getting lost.”
Silverstein,et al., (2002)
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Types of Wandering
Passive wandering
 Purposeful wandering
 Nighttime wandering
 Industrious wandering
 Other: Checking/trailing, puttering, excessive activity,

attempt to escape/leave.
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Reasons behind Wandering
Medication
 Stress
 Time confusion
 Basic needs
 Restlessness
 Lack of recognition
 Fear
 Past behaviour/delusions

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Unique Traits
People with Alzheimer’s disease:

Their path may not be a logical one.

Often walk in a straight line:
will go straight across fields, creeks, climb over
obstruction areas… rather than selecting the path of
least resistance, such as the road. Often end up in a
secluded spot hidden by brush or other cover.

Are often not aware that they are lost.
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Unique Traits
People with Alzheimer’s disease:

Have a 50% chance of being injured or dying from
exposure, hypothermia or drowning if they are not
found within the first 12 hours — SEARCH IS AN
EMERGENCY!

May be in a heightened state of anxiety and tend to be
hidden from their searchers.

People not involved in the official search often find
them: Notify the community!
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Communicating with a
wandering person
Approach slowly from the front and
introduce yourself
 Speak slowly and calmly
 Ask one question and give one direction
at a time, repeat if necessary
 Keep your instructions positive
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Preventing wandering-Caregiver’s
Guidelines
 Secure
your living area:
locks, electronic
buzzers or chimes on doors, disguise doors with curtains or
screens; safety devices, alarms, bells, monitors
 Secure


the outside environment
Be aware of hazards: bodies of water, dense foliage, steep
stairways, high balconies, hedges-limit access to dangerous areas.
Fence around patio or yard. Camouflage gates or exits
Create circular paths or enclosed outdoors for safe wandering
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Preventing WanderingCaregiver’s Guidelines
STIMULATION STRATEGIES
Structured day
 Encourage movement and exercise:

supervised walking, offer to drive
Be objective
 Continually reassure the person who may
feel lost or abandoned.
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Preventing WanderingCaregiver’s Guidelines
COMMUNITY STRATEGIES


Notify neighbours
Inform local police
MONITORING STRATEGIES



Precaution and supervision
Register with Safely Home
Wandering technology devices: GPS tracking
devices
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Safely HomeTM - Alzheimer
Wandering Registry

Established 1995 – A
partnership between ASC
and RCMP

Ancillary database on CPIC

Registration voluntary – onetime fee of $35

Registrants receive an
identification bracelet,
identification cards
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Benefits of registering




Easy identification of
the wandering person
Safe return of the
wandering person
Access to the
registrant's
information beyond a
local area
Peace of mind for the
family/caregiver
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Safely HomeTM: Bracelet
Front:
Urgent See other side
Back:
Identification number
(linked to CPIC)
Person’s first name
Memory loss
Call police
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How Can It Help?
When a registrant goes missing…

The caregiver calls the local police.

Accessing CPIC, the police will find pertinent
information about the registrant including
personal history, physical characteristics and
locations where the person is known to visit.
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CPIC Screen
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Data in the Record
A query may result in obtaining any or all of
the following information on the person (the
comprehensiveness of the data depends upon how complete a
record was supplied to the Alzheimer Society).
It may include:
 Name, description, contact information.
 Personal history, physical characteristics and
locations where the person is known to visit.
 Caregiver’s contact information
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How Can It Help?
When a registrant is found…
The community member will call police
 The identification number from the
person’s ID bracelet can be used to
search CPIC.
 Police notifies the caregiver.

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To Register Someone:
Contact the Alzheimer Society or
 Download registration form from website

www.alzheimer.ca
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