We told you about the 87-year-old man whose body was found on his Lancaster County farm Thursday morning.
He suffered from early Alzheimer’s. In light of his death, the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Pennsylvania is sharing some information that can help families experiencing the disease.
They want everyone to know there is a 24 hour, 7 day toll free number available to families and other easy ways to get help.
Almost five and half million Americans have Alzheimer’s or dementia, and six out of ten will walk away.
The Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Pennsylvania calls 87-year-old John Kilheffer’s death tragic. They say anyone who has memory problems and is able to walk is at-risk for wandering, even in the very early stages of dementia.
Like Kilheffer, they often don't make it far, but their wandering can be fatal.
“As people wonder they're typically found within 1.5 miles of their home,” explained Candy Yingling of the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater PA. “They get scared and won’t respond to people calling their name, and they'll hide.”
It's important to pay attention to warning signs, like returning from walks or drives later than usual, having difficulty locating familiar places or trying to ‘go home’ even when at home, or asking where current or past friends and family members are.
The association says there are ways to prevent wandering.
They list; keeping a routine, reassure the person if they feel lost or disoriented, camouflage doors, door knobs and locks and keep car keys out of sight
If you come across a person who looks confused, “check jewelry for a medic alert sign, on the other side it will say they have memory confusion,” explained Yingling. “It will have a number to call and will also say the person's first name because often they won't be able to tell you their name.”
Some other tips the association really recommends is ID jewelry that lists contact information. They also suggest having the person carry or wear a GPS-type device.
They conclude that if someone with dementia is missing, do not wait more than 15 minutes to call police.
He suffered from early Alzheimer’s. In light of his death, the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Pennsylvania is sharing some information that can help families experiencing the disease.
They want everyone to know there is a 24 hour, 7 day toll free number available to families and other easy ways to get help.
Almost five and half million Americans have Alzheimer’s or dementia, and six out of ten will walk away.
The Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Pennsylvania calls 87-year-old John Kilheffer’s death tragic. They say anyone who has memory problems and is able to walk is at-risk for wandering, even in the very early stages of dementia.
Like Kilheffer, they often don't make it far, but their wandering can be fatal.
“As people wonder they're typically found within 1.5 miles of their home,” explained Candy Yingling of the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater PA. “They get scared and won’t respond to people calling their name, and they'll hide.”
It's important to pay attention to warning signs, like returning from walks or drives later than usual, having difficulty locating familiar places or trying to ‘go home’ even when at home, or asking where current or past friends and family members are.
The association says there are ways to prevent wandering.
They list; keeping a routine, reassure the person if they feel lost or disoriented, camouflage doors, door knobs and locks and keep car keys out of sight
If you come across a person who looks confused, “check jewelry for a medic alert sign, on the other side it will say they have memory confusion,” explained Yingling. “It will have a number to call and will also say the person's first name because often they won't be able to tell you their name.”
Some other tips the association really recommends is ID jewelry that lists contact information. They also suggest having the person carry or wear a GPS-type device.
They conclude that if someone with dementia is missing, do not wait more than 15 minutes to call police.