People With Dementia More Likely To Go Missing

One of the problems with dementia is your mind, your brain, begins to work differently. And it’s not as simple as memory loss. Sometimes a dementia patient can get confused, or think things that aren’t true. This can cause those with dementia to get themselves into physical danger through simply wandering or walking into areas they shouldn’t be in. Such as roads or other hazardous locations. When you can’t trust your mind to think rationally and properly, you need to rely upon others to help safeguard you from danger. The problem is, when dementia strikes, you lose even the ability to recognize when you need someone else’s assistance.

Researchers into dementia and other cognitive disorders recognize this problem. A study conducted in Australia looked at men with dementia who wandered away from caregivers or their known safe locations. Twenty percent of them died when this occurred, and another twenty percent sustained injuries during their dementia caused wandering.

While exercise and staying active is important for everyone, it is especially helpful for dementia patients. Other research has shown activity can help combat the worst effects of dementia. But caregivers need to be mindful that their loved ones don’t slip into a routine that gives them opportunity to wander away and risk injury. Or worse.

Key Points:

  • 1Since people with dementia go missing, due to confusion with their memory, in some cases round the clock care can be come mandatory.
  • 2It can be dangerous and deadly to wander when you have dementia and has a high fatality rate.
  • 3Using silver alert can save the lives of many suffering from dementia, and has been approved in 18 states.


The tendency of people with dementia to wander and become lost has led QUT researchers to recommend a ‘Silver Alert’ system, similar to Amber Alerts for missing children, be activated when someone with the diagnosis of dementia is reported lost.

See the original at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-05-people-dementia.html

Do you need help in the area of Dementia Care?   Check out this available resource:   Fit Minds Family Caregiver Program

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Written by HealthStatus
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

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