Understanding Missing Incidents in People with Dementia
Author Information
Author(s): Meredith A Rowe, Sydney S Vandeveer, Catherine A Greenblum, Cassandra N List, Rachael M Fernandez, Natalie E Mixson, Hyo C Ahn
Primary Institution: College of Nursing, University of Florida
Hypothesis
Are missing incidents in people with dementia different from wandering?
Conclusion
The study concludes that missing incidents and wandering are distinct concepts that require different assessment and intervention strategies.
Supporting Evidence
- The majority of individuals went missing while engaged in normal activities.
- Deaths most commonly occurred in unpopulated areas due to exposure and drowning.
- Missing incidents were characterized by unpredictability and lack of supervision.
Takeaway
Sometimes people with dementia go missing when they are just doing normal activities, and this is different from wandering around aimlessly.
Methodology
A retrospective design analyzing 325 newspaper reports of persons with dementia missing in the community.
Potential Biases
The sample may over-represent cases found dead due to the nature of newspaper reporting.
Limitations
The data were derived from cases requiring law enforcement assistance and may not reflect the total number of missing incidents.
Participant Demographics
The sample included a higher proportion of males, with ages ranging from 40 to 95, and cases from 46 states.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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