Elderly Woman Wanders From Home, Returned Safely

If you live in the area of Parkland Dr. south of Janesville Road, you may have noticed a rather large police presence in the area around 10 a.m. on Friday, and wondered what was going on.

An elderly lady with the onset of dementia was visiting her daughter’s residence, and decided to take a walk by herself, according to police,  without telling anyone. While police were scouring the area, she was able to make it back to the home all by herself, unharmed.

This story has a happy ending, but police also want residents to think about any relatives they may have in the same condition, and what they can do to increase the chances that no harm will come to them.

First of all, let the police department know what is going on at home. They can put “flags” on the residence, which will let them know that there is a person at that residence who may have special needs. This will allow police to make sure they have an immediate appropriate response, even prior to arriving at the residence.

In addition, bring police a photo of your loved one, and they can attach it to your address in the computer. This will allow them to send the photo to our officers in the squads immediately to begin the search in earnest.

Another option is to give your loved one an ID bracelet with their name and a contact phone number. It might be tricky getting them to wear it, but it is worth a try, say  police. These suggestions also apply to anyone else with special needs, who you feel may be a “flight risk.” These are some very small things, but when seconds count, they may make all the difference.