Aspies For Freedom

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluis...864051.htm


Keeping a watch on those with dementia

Lions Clubs buy transmitters that help locate missing people with Alzheimer's

Jeff Ballinger

The Tribune

The disappearance of an Alzheimer's disease sufferer in San Luis Obispo more than a year ago has prompted local

Lions Clubs to buy small transmitters that would help locate missing people with similar conditions.

The wristwatch sized transmitter allows people to electronically track those wearing it. Such a tool would have aided officials this week as they searched for a 74-year-old Oceanside man with a mild form of dementia who went missing in a remote area near Santa Margarita.

The Lions Clubs were inspired to bring the transmitters here by the case of Vernon Erno, an 82-year-old Washington man with Alzheimer's who went missing in the Laguna Lake area Dec. 28, 2003.

San Luis Obispo police say the Erno case is still open, but they have no active leads.

"It's really the triggering event that got us interested," said Rolf Monteen, a member of the San Luis Obispo Lions Club.

The clubs contacted Project Lifesaver, a nationwide, nonprofit group that started in Virginia and provides the transmitters for people with Alzheimer's or related conditions -- including Downs syndrome and autism.

The local clubs have purchased some transmitters already and hope to get about 1,000 for SLO County. They are available for a $25 monthly rental charge through Senior Volunteer Services in San Luis Obispo by calling 434-2081.

The transmitters are used in 33 states, Monteen said. In more than 1,000 searches of people who had the transmitters, he said, all the missing persons were found alive -- and within 22 minutes, on average.

Such a tool promises to make obsolete lengthy, large scale searches such as the one earlier this week for William Hattig, who wandered away from family and friends Sunday in a heavily wooded area near Santa Margarita.

Hattig was found alive and disoriented Tuesday, behind some bushes a mile away from where he was staying. As of late Wednesday afternoon, he was still at Twin Cities Community Hospital, but his condition had been upgraded to stable from serious.

"If this gentleman had (a) Project Lifesaver (transmitter)," said Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Maki, "all we would need is the frequency number" for the transmitter.

Monteen said the Lions Clubs will do some fund-raising activities in the near future and welcome any donations to help defray the cost of Project Lifesaver.

People who need but cannot afford a transmitter will be provided one, he said.

"We'll see that anyone who wants it can get it," he said.

The Sheriff's Department has already received training and monitoring equipment, and transmitters have just been made available to the public.

Maki said the tool will provide rescuers with a big advantage.

"More and more of our searches are these types of individuals, people who are going to wander away and not necessary be able to find their way back."

For some people they could be very helpful. A child with autism did get lost, and was retrieved from using equipment like this last year.
Sadly in a similar incident the child died from exposure before being found, this equipment would have made him easy to find.

I am objecting to the characterization of autistics as suffereing from dementia

Well they said Alzheimers "or related conditions -- including Downs syndrome and autism.", so they were not saying it was dementia.

Exceedingly loose relation though in that they all have neurological components (Downs affects other areas as well), it might have paid them to say OTHER rather than RELATED.

I think they were talking about them separately TheASman.

AS Man is correct in objecting to the characterisation of autism as related to Alzheimers and being placed in the same category with Down's. I believe there is a well established link between Down's and Alzheimers, as people with Down's have a greatly elevated risk of having early Alzheimers, but I do  not know of any such link or risk associated with autism/AS.

I think that they are comparing the conditions as those groups can contain vulnerable people who may wander of and endanger themselves.
For some children with autism this is a possibilty. And for some adults too. Not all children with downs would wander off, or adults.

As far as the conditions being related, there is also a connection. Up to 40% of children with downs also have autism. This is only something that was realised within the last few years. Before that it was thought about 10% or so.
There has also been recent studies relating to alzheimers, but I would have to search for that.

You think there might be a genuine link between Alzheimer's and AS, Amy?

I wouldn't be surprised if elderly undiagnosed autistics are at an increased risk of being misdiagnosed with dementia, especially if they lose the ability to express themselves verbally, are suffering dememtia-like side effects of prescription drugs or annoy the people who they live with.

I can't remember the exact nature of the study, I would have to search for it.