Someone With Dementia Is Missing
Start looking now. Don’t wait to see if they come back.
If you can’t find them within 15 minutes, call 911 and say that a vulnerable adult with dementia is missing.
Call 911 sooner if there’s immediate danger, including traffic, extreme heat or cold, water nearby, a serious medical condition, threats of harm, or another reason waiting could be dangerous.
What to Tell the Dispatcher
“A person with dementia is missing from [address]. They were last seen about [time]. They’re [description] and were wearing [clothing].”
Also tell them:
- if the person is on foot or driving, and the vehicle make and model
- what could let them travel farther, such as a bus pass, transit card, rideshare app, cash, or credit/debit cards
- medical conditions and medications
- if they can say their name or address
- if they may become frightened or resist help
- any history of wandering
- any possible access to a weapon
- if they have a phone or location device
Have This Ready
- a recent photograph, ready to send
- addresses where the person used to live or work
- places they talk about or return to
- names of people they may be looking for
Think about places connected to the past: a former home, former job, place of worship, favorite restaurant, or someone they used to visit. Give responders those locations even if they seem unlikely.
While You Search or Wait for Help
Search the home and the immediate area. Check closets, under beds, the garage, the yard, vehicles, and other less-used spaces.
People are sometimes found inside or very close by.
Look, don’t just call out. A person with dementia may not answer when you call their name.
Check nearby roads, ponds, drainage areas, tree lines, fences, and other places where someone could become hidden or trapped.
Knock on the doors of immediate neighbors and ask whether they saw which way the person went or whether someone gave them a ride.
If someone else is there, have one person search while another stays at the house and answers the phone.
If you’re alone, keep your phone with you and tell the dispatcher you’re searching alone. Ask a nearby neighbor, if available, to watch the house or help search.
Don’t put yourself in danger searching near traffic, water, steep terrain, extreme weather, or another hazardous area. Tell responders where you think the person may have gone.
Ask What Else Is Available
Ask the dispatcher or responding officer:
“Is there a Silver Alert or another local notification available for this?”
Alert names and eligibility rules vary by state and locality. Law enforcement decides whether the case meets the criteria.
Ask whether the area has a locating program, registry, or search team for people with dementia.
If the person is enrolled in a wandering-response or location service, give responders the account information.
After the Person Is Found
If you called 911 or law enforcement, call back immediately and tell them the person has been found.
Stay with the person and approach calmly.
Check for injury or problems from heat, cold, dehydration, or time outside. Get medical help if you’re concerned about how the person looks or is acting.
Tell the health care team what happened.
“They left and were gone for [how long]. What needs to change now?”
Ask whether an occupational therapist or another member of the care team can assess safety at home.
Use I Need Help Keeping Someone With Dementia Safe at Home →
Once someone has wandered, it can happen again. Treat it as a sign the plan has to change before the person is alone again.
Helpful Resources
Guidance on what to do when someone is missing, what information to give responders, and how to reduce the chance of it happening again.
Free 24/7 dementia-specific support for families and caregivers. Call 1-800-272-3900.
Learn More
Ways to reduce wandering risk, prepare in case the person gets lost, and make the home safer after a wandering episode.