Project Overview

It is commonly cited that 3 out of 5 persons with dementia will wander yet the context of this statistic is unclear. It is unknown if the statistic refers to first time or repeated wandering incidents, and if it is associated with a person getting lost. Caregivers' experiences of a missing loved one can be devastating. Most U.S. states fund Silver Alert programs that broadcast information about vulnerable older adults who wander and get lost. Despite substantial public funding, these programs have challenges and there is little empirical evidence to support the success rates of the Silver Alert programs. In Canada, Vancouver has a citizen-funded Silver Alert program, and Manitoba is introducing a private members bill for a provincially-funded Silver Alert program. The literature supports community engagement in the search and rescue of lost older adults, however, publically-funded silver alert programs are associated with jurisdictional issues and alert fatigue. A Silver Alert program that engages communities even when a lost person crosses provincial boundaries, and prevents alert fatigue is needed. Such a program would also respect users' rights to self-determination and privacy.

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