A Different Kind of Policing

How Law Enforcement Helps Keep Alzheimer’s Patients Safe

When a Washington, D.C. police officer pulled over an 82-year-old man for erratic driving, the situation seemed routine. The man was angry but coherent, insisting he be arrested or left alone. Hours later, the driver — who had Alzheimer’s disease and had wandered from home — tragically lost his life in a highway accident.

Stories like this highlight a growing reality: as Alzheimer’s and dementia diagnoses rise, law enforcement officers across the country are stepping into a new role — protecting vulnerable seniors who wander or become lost.

Why Wandering Is So Dangerous

Wandering is one of the most serious and life-threatening behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s disease:

• Up to 70% of people with Alzheimer’s will wander at least once during the course of the disease.
• Every year, police departments respond to over 125,000 cases of wandering seniors.
• Time is critical: when someone with Alzheimer’s is missing for more than 24 hours, the risk of death rises to 40% — often due to hypothermia, dehydration, or accidents.

For families and caregivers, wandering is often the hardest behavior to manage and one of the leading reasons for long-term care placement.

How Police Departments Are Adapting

Until the mid-1990s, most police officers received little or no training on dementia. Today, things look very different:

• Police academies and continuing education now include Alzheimer’s awareness and communication training.
• Officers learn how to approach safely: speaking calmly, using short sentences, maintaining eye contact, and avoiding restraints.
• Many departments partner with the Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return program, a 24-hour national registry that helps quickly identify and reunite missing individuals with their families.
• Search strategies include dog tracking, neighborhood grid searches, checking familiar places tied to long-term memory, and using media alerts.

These efforts are saving lives — and easing the fear for families who worry that a loved one may not make it home.

What Families and Caregivers Can Do

While law enforcement is stepping up, families and caregivers also play a vital role in prevention and response:

• Register loved ones with Safe Return or similar ID programs.
• Alert neighbors and local police if wandering has occurred before.
• Maintain updated ID and medical information that can travel with the senior.
• Work with professional in-home caregivers who are trained to recognize early signs of restlessness or attempts to leave home.

Protecting Seniors in Our Communities

Alzheimer’s and dementia touch nearly every community in America, including here in Connecticut. At Caregiver’s Home Solutions, our caregivers are trained to support families facing the challenges of wandering — helping to keep loved ones safe, calm, and cared for at home.

When law enforcement, caregivers, and families work together, the outcome for those living with dementia can be one of safety, dignity, and peace of mind.

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🚓 Police officers across the U.S. — including here in Connecticut — are learning to recognize and respond to wandering and safety risks among seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

From the Safe Return program to specialized training, law enforcement is becoming a critical part of the care network that keeps our loved ones safe.

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Caregiver’s Home Solutions has been proud to care for loved ones in Connecticut since 2007. Let our local family-owned and operated agency care for your loved one like family, while giving you peace of mind when not with them. To learn more, call us at 203-870-9850.