The likelihood of law enforcement and emergency responders encountering someone with dementia is great. Situations may including investigating reports of shoplifting, indecent exposure and victimization, responding to car or other accidents, searching for missing persons, and helping to return home confused individuals unable to communicate who they are or where they live. Unfortunately, most law enforcement and emergency responders are not formally trained on how to recognize, communicate with, and respond to a memory-impaired adult.

The Basics of Alzheimer’s Disease

This educational forum addresses fundamental issues of Alzheimer’s disease, including:

• Definition and affect on the brain
• Diagnosis
• Treatment Options
• Progression of the disease
• Community Resource Options
• Caregiving Strategies

Effective Communication Techniques and Skills for Residents Experiencing Dementia

Persons with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease experience changes in their ability to communicate with others. These changes present challenges for families, caretakers, and the person with dementia. This course is designed to enhance knowledge and skills regarding a number of typical communication changes associated with dementia, barriers and/or factors that inhibit communication with the dementia population, strategies and techniques that promote positive verbal and non-verbal interactions with residents experiencing dementia, and tips for communicating with anxious residents.

Safe Return

Six in ten people with Alzheimer’s disease will wander. They may become disoriented and lost, even in their own neighborhood. Wandering is common; however, if not found within 24 hours, half of those who wander risk serious injury or death. This program will address wandering and the inherent risks associated with this behavior, enable officials to recognize, communicate and respond to a memory-impaired adult, and alert both caregivers and law enforcement officials of the Safe Return program and the services that the program and the Alzheimer’s Association has to offer.