IMPACT OF WANDERING INCIDENTS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT MEDICALERT SERVICES AIMED TO AID LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES & THEIR VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Transcription

1 IMPACT OF WANDERING INCIDENTS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT MEDICALERT SERVICES AIMED TO AID LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES & THEIR VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS

2 ISSUES DISRUPTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS Wandering by those with Alzheimer s / Dementia, Autism Spectrum & Other Cognitive Disabilities

3 ALZHEIMER S/DEMENTIA 6 out of 10 persons with Alzheimer s will wander/become lost. AUTISM SPECTRUM 50% of individuals with autism will elope. They are often drawn to water & traffic.

4 WANDERING: STAGGERING STATISTICS Children with autism under the age of 10, 42% of wandering outcomes will result in death. (National Autism Association) If wandering residents are not located within 24 hours, 61% of those are found deceased.

5 WANDERING: STAGGERING STATISTICS Due to the serious and emotional nature of these incidents, many often overlook the strain that wandering places on law enforcement. According to the New York Times, search and rescue operations typically cost $1,500 per hour, and low-tech rescue operations average 9 hours.

6 HOW MEDICALERT AIDES LAW ENFORCEMENT

7 MEDICALERT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS & LAW ENFORCEMENT DURING WANDERING INCIDENTS MEDICALERT + ALZHEIMER S ASSOCIATION SAFE RETURN 24/7 Wandering & Emergency Response Services for Individuals with Dementia MEDICALERT FOUND 24/7 Wandering & Emergency Response Services for Individuals with Autism/ Cognitive Disorders

8 MEDICALERT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS & LAW ENFORCEMENT DURING WANDERING INCIDENTS HOW MEDICALERT HELPS MedicAlert member is reported missing: establish community network with local law enforcement, family and local support agency (local Alzheimer s Association chapter, Autism organization, etc). MedicAlert member is found wandering: provide law enforcement with medical history and provide family contact information to ensure the member is safely returned home.

9 As dementia and autism rates rise, the number of wandering incidents continue to increase.

10 EMERGENCY CALL NEW YORK CITY Dec. 2014

11 MEDICALERT + LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP AVAILABLE THANKS TO FEDERAL FUNDING MedicAlert Has Established L.E.A.P. Program for Law Enforcement Agencies Provides FREE Services for Community Members and FREE Resources for Law Enforcement Agencies. Currently partnered with 15 law enforcement agencies through the US Department of Justice s Missing Alzheimer s Disease Patient Alert Program. New legislation (Kevin and Avonte s Law) will enable the expansion of L.E.A.P. to hundreds of additional law enforcement agencies.

12 PARTNERSHIP TO PROTECT LOCAL RESIDENTS AT RISK FOR WANDERING

13 WE HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT & PROTECT LOCAL RESIDENTS: PUBLICIZE FREE MEDICALERT SERVICES medical jewelry is also provided at no cost to local residents ENROLL RESIDENTS IN NATIONAL REGISTRY to ensure law enforcement has 24/7 access to health information via MedicAlert CONNECT WITH LOCAL EXPERTS to receive training resources for law enforcement officers

14 PROGRAM STEP 1: PUBLICIZE FREE MEDICALERT SERVICES Announce FREE MedicAlert services to local community Schedule a kick-off event with local officials and media. Spread the word with event materials, radio/newspaper advertising, social media announcements, and more.

15 PROGRAM STEP 2: ENROLL RESIDENTS IN NATIONAL DATABASE Enroll residents through MedicAlert s online partner portal: Residents and their caregivers will receive FREE bracelets. Their health and emergency contact information will also be stored with MedicAlert and added to the existing national database.

16 PROGRAM STEP 3: OFFICER TRAINING Now that local residents have bracelets, does law enforcement staff know how to handle wandering or missing person incidents? To help with officer training, MedicAlert provides: Local experts/training materials to ensure staff is prepared for wandering incidents and knows how to communicate with residents who have cognitive disabilities. Mock training bracelets and scenarios to simulate a wandering emergency situation.

17 PROGRAM COORDINATORS JUSTIN NOLAND JILLIAN MEGEE