alzheimer's association texas chapter




Donations Helpline Links Resources Respite Safe Return Support Groups Volunteer		IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ROUND ROCK RESIDENTS -----------------------------**-------------------- If you know of someone that lives in Round Rock, Texas and has Alzheimer’s or dementia Officer Roddy Adcock will help you register them with the Safe Return program. Officer Roddy Adcock works for the Round Rock Police Department and has been trained by the Alzheimer’s Association-Capital of Texas Chapter to walk you through step by step on how you can register your loved one with Safe Return. You can reach Office Adcock at 512-801-4612. -------------------------------------------------- The Alzheimer's Association Safe Return Program assists in the safe and timely return of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias who wander and become lost. It is a nationwide identification, support, and registration program working at the community level. Safe Return provides assistance whether a person becomes lost locally or far from home. Assistance is available 24 hours, every day, whenever a person is lost or found. Memory loss and disorientation due to dementia are more common than many people realize. It is also dangerous. Individuals have been located terrified in heavy traffic, lost overnight, and even dead. Safe Return minimizes these risks. Facts on wandering Facts that lead to wandering Tips for reducing wandering behaviour Tips for protecting your loved ones from wandering Tips for preparing for emergencies Is safe return right for your loved one Safe return provides its registrants with Financial assistance Registration Facts on wandering An individual with Alzheimer’s is likely to wander at some point during the disease. Identifying the cause of the behavior can help eliminate or reduce its occurrence. Facts that lead to wandering Medication side effects Stress Restlessness Agitation Anxiety Inability to recognize familiar people, places, and objects Fear arising from the misinterpretation of sights and sounds Desire to fulfill former obligations, such as going to work or looking after a child Tips for reducing wandering behavior Encourage movement and exercise to reduce anxiety, agitation, and restlessness Involve the person in productive daily activities, such as folding laundry or preparing dinner Remind the person that he or she is in the right place Reassure the person if he or she feels lost, abandoned, or disoriented Tips for protecting your loved one from wandering Enroll the person in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Safe Return Program, a nationwide identification system designed to assist in the safe return of people who become lost when wandering Inform your neighbors of the person’s condition and keep a list of their names and telephone numbers Keep your home safe and secure by installing deadbolt locks on exterior doors and limiting access to potentially dangerous areas Be aware that the person may not only wander by foot but also by car or by other modes of transportation Tips for preparing for emergencies Keep a list of emergency phone numbers and addresses of the local police and fire departments, hospitals, and poison control as well as Safe Return help lines Check fire extinguishers and smoke alarms, and conduct fire drills regularly to top of page Is it right for your loved one? If you can answer "yes" to any of the following questions, Safe Return may be an ideal safety precaution for your family member: Does your family member leave the residential care setting? (Doctor's visit, walk around the block, weekend with the family.) Is there potential for your family member to become confused and disoriented, and perhaps unable to find her way back to the residential care setting? Has your family member wandered or left the residence without supervision in the past? Does your family member have difficulty in communicating? Safe Return provides its registrants with: Identification products including jewelry, wallet cards, and clothing labels National photo and information database A 24-hour, toll-free emergency number Alzheimer's Association local chapter support Wandering behavior education and training for caregivers and families Financial assistance The family of Morton Plotsky has generously established the Morton Plotsky Safe Return Emblem Fund to pay the $40 registration fee for qualified applicants. Please call (512) 241-0420 or email us to find out if you qualify for financial assistance. To register, a person with dementia or their caregiver fills out a simple form, supplies a photograph, and chooses the type of identification product that the registrant will wear and/or carry. Registration** The information is entered into a national database. The registration fee is $40 and caregiver jewelry is $5. The Greater Austin Chapter also offers financial help to those who cannot pay the registration fee. After submitting an application, your loved one's information is entered into a national database. If your family member becomes lost, a call to the toll-free number will begin the search process. Also, anyone finding your family member can call the 800 number and make arrangements for the individual to be returned to the family or their residential care setting. Call the Alzheimer's Association, Capital of Texas Chapter (800) 367-2132 for registration information and assistance. to top of page For a more in-depth description, click on a topic from the list on the left.