title: Lost and found: how to treat Alzheimer's patients.
abstract: The address of the call was a familiar one, but today we knew time was of the essence. Mary, an Alzheimer's patient living with her family, had wandered off on a cold, wet morning. Our concern was exacerbated by the fact that Mary left home without a jacket or hat to keep her warm, and forecasters were predicting dangerously low temperatures and increased precipitation. The location of Mary's neighborhood also put her at risk of a mountain lion attack. The later it got, we knew she could be facing other potentially life-threatening hazards. We realized the farther away from home she wandered, the more disoriented she would get. We had to locate her quickly. She was always very pleasant on past EMS calls, but as her disease advanced, there had been a noticeable change in her mood, behavior and ability to communicate. As we searched frantically, statistics reminded us that 60% of those with Alzheimer's will wander, with risk of serious injury or death if not found in the first 24 hours.(1) As day turned to night, we all hoped and prayed for the best outcome.
authors.forename: Wayne M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Zygowicz
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spaulding
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations