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‹ Missing!

Pocket guide · Missing person

Missing!

Every minute counts.

  1. Every minute countsWhen someone with dementia or a disability goes missing, treat it as an emergency from the first minute. Search the home and grounds quickly, including closets and small spaces, but don't wait long: call 911 within the first 15 minutes, sooner if weather, traffic or their health puts them at risk. Then tell your supervisor. Never assume they'll come back on their own. Episode 1: Where's Harold?
  2. Know what to tell 911Give 911 a clear description: what the person looks like, what they're wearing, any medical needs, and where they might go, like a former home, job or favorite place. Keep a current photo and profile for everyone at risk of wandering, and notice what people are wearing at the start of every shift. Episode 2: What Was He Wearing?
  3. Found: stay calm and kindWhen you find a missing person, stay calm and kind. Scolding adds fear and shame. Check that they're warm, unhurt and comfortable, and stay with them. Tell 911 and your supervisor right away that they've been found, then follow your agency's reporting rules and any medical check. Episode 3: He Just Wanted to Go Home
  4. Eyes up on outingsOn outings, know each person's supervision plan and keep your eyes on them, not your phone. If someone goes missing in a store or public place, ask staff to watch the exits, call 911 quickly, and search the places that person is drawn to, like quiet corners. Approach calmly when you find them. Episode 4: Lost at the Store
  5. Never switch off safetyDoor alarms, sensors and other safety devices are there because someone's plan needs them. Never switch them off or ignore them, and check every alert in person. If an alarm seems unnecessary or too restrictive, raise it with the person's team so the plan can be reviewed. Episode 5: The Door Alarm
  6. Keep a profile readyKeep a missing person profile for everyone at risk of wandering: a recent photo, physical description, medical needs, how they communicate, what calms them and places they might go. Store it where any staff member can grab it in seconds, and update it whenever something changes. Episode 6: The Photo on File
  7. Don't chaseIf someone bolts, chasing and shouting can make them run faster, sometimes into danger. Stay calm and keep them in sight, use a calm voice and the things that matter to them, and position yourself between them and real hazards like a road only if you can do it safely. Call for help if you lose sight of them. Episode 7: Don't Chase
  8. Real checks, real timesNight checks only protect people if they really happen. Look in on each person at the times in their plan and write down what you actually saw, when you saw it. Filling in checks you didn't do is falsifying records, and it can hide the moment someone goes missing. Episode 8: Night Checks
  9. Handoffs are where people go missingMany missing-person scares happen at handoffs: vans, day programs, outings and shift changes. Hand people over person to person, confirm they arrived, and agree that anyone who doesn't show up gets a call right away. If you can't confirm where someone is, treat them as missing. Episode 9: Never Arrived
  10. Look for the reasonAfter someone goes missing, look for the reason, not just a lock. Wandering often has a purpose: an old routine, a need, a fear or boredom. Work with the person, their family and their team to meet that need, keep safety measures in their plan, and keep their profile and supervision up to date. Episode 10: What Made Him Go?