A silver lining for wandering seniors

Renee Climans blogs:

In May, the Hamilton Spectator and Toronto Star reported that the Ontario Government will introduce the Silver Advisory system to help find missing seniors faster.

As a mom, I remember the terror and panic on the few occasions when my young and curious children briefly wandered away. But more recently I remember holding my breath when dropping my 94-year-old father off for his medical appointment and leaving him to go up to the doctor’s office on his own while I quickly parked the car.

In my professional role as a senior social worker who co-leads the Alzheimer’s Support Group for Spouses at Baycrest, I have listened to many caregivers tell their own frightening stories. Here are a few of the scenarios they’ve described:

A wife had just returned from a doctor’s appointment with her husband and dropped him off in front of their condo so that she could go to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions. When she returned home a half hour later, her husband was not there. “I was in a state of panic,” she recalled. This gentleman is registered with the Safely Home Registry through the Alzheimer’s Society. He wears an identification bracelet and carries a card in his wallet / pocket, and the police have his description in a central database for cognitively-impaired individuals who are at risk of wandering. In this particular case the police weren’t contacted as this gentleman returned to his condo about 30 minutes after his wife had arrived home. When asked where he had gone, he responded, “I decided to go for a walk.” For his worried partner, 30 minutes felt like “forever.”

The second story involves a couple who went to the symphony by subway on a winter evening. The wife recounts her terror at seeing her husband enter the subway train and the doors close before she was able to get on with him. She headed to Roy Thompson Hall praying that her husband would find his way there. She called her son who contacted the police. She recalled that the police sat with her and were wonderful. Her husband eventually showed up at the venue covered with snow. “He was fine, but I was terribly worried,” she said.

These stories had happy endings, but this was not the case last January when a 66-year-old woman with dementia wandered out of her Scarborough home during the night and her cries of distress went unanswered. She was discovered frozen to death hours later.

The Amber Alert Program for missing children has helped Canadians to become aware of the important role we can all play in being vigilant when a child goes missing. Might the proposed Silver Advisory serve the same role – informing members of the community to be on guard for older adults who are most vulnerable?

Social workers and other professionals at Baycrest often work with families before a clinical diagnosis of dementia has been made for their loved one. This ensures that safety measures are in place to reduce the risk of a frail family member wandering away from familiar surroundings and becoming lost.

Many of the spouses and other family caregivers with whom I counsel often ask about the usefulness of devices such as a GPS system for their relative, walkie talkies, and even microchips that are implanted under the skin similar to those used to track pets. These strategies will not work in isolation. We live in communities. The Silver Advisory will enhance the safety net we have for older persons with dementia – but only if we all work together as a community of watchful, vigilant and caring citizens.

Here is a checklist for families to consider:

1. Register your loved one with the Safely Home Program through the Alzheimer’s Society (there is a small fee).

2. Enlist the support of others, including family, friends and formal supports.

3. Connect with agencies (Community Care Access Centre, Family Caregiver Connections) and Baycrest’s services (Seniors Counselling and Referral), or speak to team members associated with your loved one’s specialist at Baycrest or in the community.

4. Minimize risks in your home environment and arrange for a Home Safety Assessment with an occupational therapist. Special door locks and coded entry systems might be suggested.

5. Don’t hesitate to consult with your family doctor or specialist when you have concerns. Wandering behaviour may be part of a larger spectrum of behaviours related to dementia, such as agitation and restlessness. Adjustment of medications may help settle the person and reduce confusion.

6. Engage your loved one in meaningful activities, such as the Community Day Centre for Seniors, the Wagman Centre at Baycrest, or other social programs in the community.