When to get an Alzheimer’s monitoring system

How do you know whether your dad or mom needs a monitoring system? In California, half a million people suffer from Alzheimer’s or a related form of dementia. Sixty percent of those afflicted will wander or become lost at least once during the progression of the disease. Most of them will wander more than once.

In making a decision, there are some things to watch for in a parent:

Returning later than usual from a regular walk or drive.

Trying to fulfill former obligations, such as going to an old job site.

Being restless, pacing or making repetitive movements.

Inability to locate familiar places, such as the bedroom or bathroom.

Appearing lost in a new or changed environment.

Several organizations offer assistance

The Alzheimer’s Assn., www.alz.org, (800) 272-3900, staffs a 24-hour information hotline. The website offers advice on how to reduce wandering and protect a loved one from getting lost, and how to prepare for an emergency.

The National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center, www.nia.nih.gov, (800), 438-4380, has information on how to recognize the disease, on research into its cure and on coping. And the National Institute on Neurological Disorders, www.ninds.nih.gov/index.htm, (800) 352-9424, has information on clinical trials.

--Rosemary McClure