What we know about older people and becoming lost :
original post: Click
Older people (those over 65) are more vulnerable to becoming lost. Age-related declines in physical and cognitive function impact our ability to navigate and endure the environment and seek assistance.
Becoming lost is very distressing for both the lost person and for their loved ones. People with dementia are at increased risk of becoming lost due to memory problems, loss of judgement and reduced visual-perceptual ability (they might forget landmarks, become confused about direction, or not recognise places).
Frailty and increased risk of disease as we age mean the risk of sustaining an injury, possibly a fatal injury, increases for older people.
What our study found
Our study examined incident reports of older people who became lost in the US and had the matter reported to police or directly to a search and rescue team. We looked at 1,703 incidents which required a search and rescue operation to locate the person. We used US data because it was more extensive and detailed than what we have in Australia.
Of the 1,703 cases, 208 (12%) were found dead. This was more than we expected, but exact numbers of deaths are hard to predict since some people will also die due to injury after being found, and some are found quickly before the police are called.
We found death was more likely in situations where there were water-related activities (such as boating and fishing), cold weather conditions (drizzle, rain, snow), and among males. And for those who didn’t survive, they were more likely to be found in water or wetlands compared to the people found alive.
Importantly, for those who didn’t survive, the time taken to notify search and rescue teams was three times longer. The search time was six times longer.
Interestingly, people with dementia were more likely to be found alive than those without dementia.
Read more: These 12 things can reduce your dementia risk – but many Australians don’t know them all
Why were people with dementia more likely to survive?
While it seems a counterintuitive finding, the explanation for why those with dementia fared better may be in our approach to care, and the rescue methods applied for older people with dementia.
Caregivers for people with dementia may be using technological tracking devices or locking doors more regularly to prevent the older person with dementia from leaving their home.
It’s also plausible the greater concerns for the safety and wellbeing of people with dementia may be an impetus for caregivers to notify search and rescue teams earlier, compared to when a person without dementia is noticed missing.
Alternatively, it may also reflect the strategies employed by search and rescue teams. Searches for lost people with dementia are often prioritised and given the highest urgency by search and rescue teams.
This focus on people with dementia may overlook other older people in need of interventions. We may not feel the same level of urgency, or even recognise there is real risk of harm to people without dementia.
Leave a Reply