Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Getting Lost
Noelannah Neubauer is a University of Alberta PhD Candidate and AAG Edmonton Chapter Board Member. As part of her doctoral thesis, Noelannah created easy-to-use guidelines to reduce the risk that someone with dementia will get lost. Noelannah worked in collaboration with:
- Persons living with dementia
- Care partners
- Health-care professionals
- Social workers
- First responders
- Community organizations
- Alzheimer Societies
This collaboration gave voice to the concerns of those living with dementia and their caregivers in the community. The guidelines form a checklist focused on behaviours and circumstances to determine their level of risk of getting lost, such as:
- whether the person with dementia lives alone
- if they frequently become overwhelmed
Proactive Strategies and Guidelines
Proactive strategies, such as locating devices, are then matched to each level of risk. The guidelines exist in three different versions:
- For persons living with dementia at home – Guidelines for PWD – PDF
- For care partners that provide care in the community setting – Guidelines for Community Partners – PDF
- For care homes – Guidelines for Care Homes – PDF
You are invited to provide feedback on these guidelines by completing an online survey. This survey is found at:
SURVEY: USABILITY OF GUIDELINES FOR PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA AT RISK OF GETTING LOST