Mississippi Program Puts Locator Devices on Elderly, Autistic Individuals Who Might Wander

Several years ago, a 90-year-old Limestone County man with Alzheimer’s disease walked out of his home in the middle of the night. Law enforcement officials, including Sheriff Mike Blakely, looked for the man for several hours; he was eventually found sleeping in some brush not far from home and only in his underwear. Soon after that incident, Blakely learned about Project Lifesaver, a nonprofit organization that equips individuals with cognitive disorders with tracking bracelets. Now, about a dozen people in Limestone County have the bracelets, including a few children with autism who are at risk of wandering away from home and becoming lost. And more people probably should have them, Blakely said. The Project Lifesaver bracelets are in use in every county in the state. Several local sheriffs said because of support from nonprofit groups and fundraisers, the cost to families who need the bracelets is minimal. The director of the Alabama Department of Senior Services said last week that his agency and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency are working on an agreement to try to find funding for more bracelets and also to conduct dementia screenings for seniors.

Source/more: Decatur Daily

David Wingate is an elder law attorney at the Elder Law Office of David Wingate, LLC. The elder law office services clients with powers of attorneys, living wills, Wills, Trusts, Medicaid and asset protection. The Elder Law office has locations in Frederick and Montgomery Counties, Maryland.