BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) – As the days get shorter and cold winter weather comes, it can be dangerous for those with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia
- As days get shorter there is more of risk for wandering
- Wandering get more dangerous in colder weather
- Officers remind neighbors of Project Lifesaver, a wristband that can help officers find missing loved ones
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A woman with dementia missing for hours in the cold after she walked away from her home in Bellevue last week
As days start to get shorter, more risks come to vulnerable adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
“A lot of irritability, agitation, wandering all that different type of stuff starts to happen when the sun goes down and when that happens earlier in the day it lengthens the amount of time things can go wrong,” said Jenna Hynek, director of communication at the Alzheimer’s Association Nebraska chapter.
Along with shorter days, families should take precaution with their loved ones in this weather, according to Hynek.
“For those with Alzhiemer’s and dementia who do not have some of those abilities to regulate body temperature or communicate if they are comfortable or not,” she said. “It’s best to take precautionary measures if you’re doing an outside activity or if there is any risk of them wandering in the cold."
Now with increased dangers, officers are reminding neighbors of a program that could help.
The 76-year-old old woman who wandered from her home in Bellevue Nov. 29 was found safe and now she’s on project lifesaver.
"she's now on our program, I got her set up yesterday,” BPD Officer Ryan Ludlow said.
Ludlow leads project lifesaver at BPD, and he says the wristbands that sends signals to officers makes a big impact when they are looking for neighbors, especially in dangerous weather.
“It’s awesome, it's just another tool that helps us locate people,” he said. “You can tell the families really care that we can do this for them.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association. If family members with Alzheimer’s or dementia do go missing, you should contact the police as soon as you can.
Neighbors interested in project lifesaver can reach out to BPD or Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office
