OBJECTIVES: To determine the circumstances under which persons with dementia become lost while driving, how missing drivers are found, and how Silver Alert notifications are instrumental in those discoveries. DESIGN: A retrospective, descriptive study. SETTING: Retrospective record review. PARTICIPANTS: Conducted using 156 records from the Florida Silver Alert program for October 2008 through May 2010. These alerts were issued in Florida for missing drivers with dementia. MEASUREMENTS: Information derived from the reports on characteristics of the missing driver, antecedents to missing event, and discovery of a missing driver. RESULTS: The majority of missing drivers were men aged 58 to 94 who were being cared for by a spouse. Most drivers became lost on routine, caregiver-sanctioned trips to usual locations. Only 15% were driving when found, with most being found in or near a parked car. Law enforcement officers found the large majority. Only 40% were found in the county where they went missing, and 10% were found in a different state. CONCLUSION: Silver Alert notifications were most effective for law enforcement; citizen alerts resulted in a few discoveries. There was 5% mortality in the study population, with those living alone more likely to be found dead than alive. An additional 15% were found in dangerous situations such as stopped on railroad tracks. Thirty-two percent had documented driving or other dangerous errors, such as driving the wrong way or into secluded areas or walking in or near roadways.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the circumstances under which persons with dementia become lost while driving, how missing drivers are found, and how Silver Alert notifications are instrumental in those discoveries. DESIGN: A retrospective, descriptive study. SETTING: Retrospective record review. PARTICIPANTS: Conducted using 156 records from the Florida Silver Alert program for October 2008 through May 2010. These alerts were issued in Florida for missing drivers with dementia. MEASUREMENTS: Information derived from the reports on characteristics of the missing driver, antecedents to missing event, and discovery of a missing driver. RESULTS: The majority of missing drivers were men aged 58 to 94 who were being cared for by a spouse. Most drivers became lost on routine, caregiver-sanctioned trips to usual locations. Only 15% were driving when found, with most being found in or near a parked car. Law enforcement officers found the large majority. Only 40% were found in the county where they went missing, and 10% were found in a different state. CONCLUSION: Silver Alert notifications were most effective for law enforcement; citizen alerts resulted in a few discoveries. There was 5% mortality in the study population, with those living alone more likely to be found dead than alive. An additional 15% were found in dangerous situations such as stopped on railroad tracks. Thirty-two percent had documented driving or other dangerous errors, such as driving the wrong way or into secluded areas or walking in or near roadways.
Authors: Dawn Carr; Glenn W Muschert; Jennifer Kinney; Emily Robbins; Gina Petonito; Lydia Manning; J Scott Brown Journal: Gerontologist Date: 2009-06-25
Authors: Meredeth A Rowe; Sydney S Vandeveer; Catherine A Greenblum; Cassandra N List; Rachael M Fernandez; Natalie E Mixson; Hyo C Ahn Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2011-06-05 Impact factor: 3.921
Authors: Meredeth Rowe; Amy Houston; Victor Molinari; Tatjana Bulat; Mary Elizabeth Bowen; Heather Spring; Sandra Mutolo; Barbara McKenzie Journal: Healthcare (Basel) Date: 2015-11-10