More than 10,000 people suffering from dementia went missing for various periods of time in 2013, the National Police Agency (NPA) said Thursday. According to police figures, 10,322 people, reported by their families to be suffering from senile dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, went missing, NTV reported. The number is 715 more than in 2012.
Of the total, the NPA said 388 were found dead, and 258 remained missing as of April 30, including some missing for more than a year. Most of the people who wandered off were located within hours; in other cases, they were found days later after having been taken into protective custody by police, the NPA said.
I – Word Understanding
dementia – severe decrease in mental ability (memory, understanding, etc) that reduces a person’s ability to do daily activities
senile dementia – dementia due to old age
Alzheimer’s – a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior
II – Have Your Say
1. De Hogewek a.k.a. Dematia Village is a small village in the Netherlands where dementia patients shop, cook and live together safely.
2. Wandering and getting lost is common among people with dementia and can happen during any stage of the disease. Ways to cope with wandering:
*ID system
*GPS / beacon device
*social / community connection
*implants????
*tattoos?????
