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The Alzheimer’s Association’s Safe Return Program® is a 24-hour nationwide identification and support program that works with national law enforcement agencies to assist in the safe and timely return of persons with dementia. It is comforting to know that 89% of persons enrolled in Safe Return® are found within 4 hours of their disappearance and 98.9% of persons enrolled in Safe Return® are found within 24 hours of their disappearance. It is even more comforting to know that there is a nearly 100% return rate for those persons with dementia enrolled in the Safe Return® Program.

Return benefits include:

• Personalized identification products
• National information/photo database
• 24-hour toll-free crisis line
• Fax alert notification system
• Local chapter support
• Wandering behavior information and training

Registrants receive identification products that are inscribed with the toll-free crisis number (800-572-1122) and alert others that the individual is memory-impaired and may need assistance. Caregiver identification jewelry is also available to alert others that the individual provides care for a person registered in Safe Return. With a $40 enrollment in Safe Return, you receive the following products:

• Engraved, stainless steel identification bracelet or necklace
• Iron-on clothing labels (36)
• Caregiver Checklist
• Key Chain
• Lapel pin
• Refrigerator magnet
• Telephone Stickers
• Registrant and caregiver wallet cards

For an additional $15, you'll receive caregiver jewelry. In an emergency, it alerts others that you provide care for a person with dementia.

There is a $20 annual program administrative fee. After one year, you will receive an invoice requesting the $20 fee. This helps Safe Return respond to more than 6,000 calls for help each year.

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Reaching Beyond the Shadows

The GMC Safe Return workgroup is pleased to announce Reaching Beyond the Shadows: An Overview of Dementia, a Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certified training program for law enforcement officers is now available through the GMC. Reaching Beyond the Shadows was originally created by Kathryn Ann W. Kozlinski of Macomb County Department of Senior Services and provides law enforcement officers with strategies for recognizing persons with dementia, successfully handling situations involving persons with dementia, and ways in which we can all work together to help ensure the safety of this vulnerable population. The program also familiarizes law enforcement officers with the Safe Return Program and the procedures associated with a wandering incident. ReachingBeyond the Shadows will be available as an MCOLES certified program throughout each region of the GMC. Please contact your local office for more information or if your agency is interested in scheduling a training.

National Safe Return Statistics:

• Number of people enrolled since 1993: 151, 292
• Average number of enrollments per month: 1343
• Average number of calls to the enrollment line per month: 1000
• Number of Safe Return incidents handled in the past year: 1627
• Average number of incidents handled per month: 135
• Average number of calls to the incident line in one month: 500
• Number of people reunited to safety since 1993: over 11,000

Of people enrolled in Safe Return, 89% are located in under 4 hours and 98.9% are located in under 24 hours.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association. (2006). Safe and Sound. September 2006, volume 1.

For more information regarding safe return call our helpline 800-272-3900.

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