Project to improve reporting time of missing persons with dementia
LONDON: A new project aims to improve the reporting time of missing persons with dementia.
QUT researchers are calling on people all over Australia to contribute ideas to a new project that aims to get more people with dementia home safely if they go missing.
The “Getting Home Safely” project is being led by QUT researchers and supported by funding from the Dementia Australia Research Foundation.
This month, the research team is launching a public consultation process to brainstorm ideas.
Two online community forum days will take place on November 24 and December 1.
“We want to hear from people who have an interest in improving the safety of people with dementia – nurses, doctors, police, other emergency service workers and members of the general public including carers of people with dementia,” Dr MacAndrew said.
“Interested people can register online. We will then send them a link to online learning modules about dementia which need to be completed before they take part in the small online group discussions on November 24 or December 1.”
Dr MacAndrew said people with dementia were at greater risk of getting lost – and experiencing devastating outcomes.
Dr MacAndrew is a registered nurse and has been researching dementia and aged care at QUT for 10 years.
She completed her PhD on dementia-related wandering, particularly in residential aged care.
