If you’ve been worried about your senior wandering off, you might have been prepared for this moment. But many caregivers are absolutely not prepared for the first time their senior wanders away. These tips can help to keep you calm and find your senior.

Start Contacting Neighbors

As soon as you notice that your elderly family member has wandered off, start talking to people in the area. They’re most likely neighbors, but they could also be people who are walking in the area. They may have seen your elderly family member without realizing that she might have been in need of help. It’s embarrassing to ask people if they’ve seen your elderly family member, but you never know who might have a clue to help you find her.

Contact Law Enforcement

It’s also a good idea to contact law enforcement in your area. They have resources that may be able to help you to find your elderly family member more quickly. As with people in the area walking by, an officer in the area may have passed your senior without realize that she was someone who needed a bit more help. Call the non-emergency number and let them know your senior is missing.

Keep a Picture Handy

It’s always a good plan to have a picture of your senior handy. Ideally you would want to have a picture printed out that you could hand out with your name and number as well as information about your senior. But a good back-up plan is to have a picture of your senior, hopefully a fairly recent one, on your phone. That way you can at least share your senior’s picture with the people you encounter.

Start Close by and Work Your Way Farther Out

You might be tempted to hop in the car and race off to find your senior. But you might be surprised to find her closer to home than you expect. Start closer by and work your way out a bit. This can also be a little bit easier than trying to coax your senior back into a car to take her home.

Consider hiring home care providers if your senior is prone to wandering. They can help you to ensure first that the home is a little more wander-proof. They can also help you to spot potential triggers for your senior’s tendency to wander. Finally, they can help to ensure that her needs are met so that she’s less likely to try to wander off.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care in Meyerland, TX, contact the caring staff at Personal Caregiving Services at 832-564-0338. Providing Care in Houston, Bellaire, West University Place, Katy, and Sugar Land and the surrounding areas