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My parents have lived in the same house for 65 years and my dad has been walking for miles from the house every day for exercise since he retired 27 years ago (Before that he rode a bicycle to work and back for 30 years.) Now he has moderate cognitive loss due to aging (dementia) and cannot remember how to get home. So we have two different trackers on him, an identity bracelet, and caregivers at home who take care of my mom (who has a bad recovery on a broken hip), and go get my dad when he has been out for more than 30 or 40 minutes. Someone reported him for walking all the time. Adult protective services came to the door and scared the bejeebers out of our caregiver and her agency saying that she was responsible for him and if anything happened to him during his walks she could be fined or go to jail. My dad has not committed any crimes. My parents' wishes are to die in their own home. The caregiver agency is now telling us we have to hire two caregivers, one to walk with my dad and one to take care of my mom. I live in California. I cannot imagine that this is legal, but any advice is appreciated.

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If I were the caregiver, I would do EXACTLY the same thing. APS has a lot of power. He is in serious danger unless he has 24/7 care (including on walks). What if he removers the tracker (which my husband did)? What if the tracker fails. Sometimes the tracker networks don't cover all areas.

People who walk (or wander) and can't find their way home are at risk for NEVER finding their way home. It happens a lot. Identity bracelets are only useful if someone finds him. Sometimes strangers find PWD and call the police. Other times, PWD seek shelter in a shed, forest or desert and aren't found alive. Everyone wants to live in their own home until they die. Not everyone gets their own choice.
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By the way, "moderate cognitive loss due to aging (dementia)" is not due to aging. Moderate cognitive loss (dementia) is due to a disease process such as Alzheimer's, Lewy Body Dementia, FTD, etc. Protocol says he should have a workup by a neurologist (regardless of his age) to rule out treatable causes. With a diagnosis, you can ensure that he is not prescribed certain medications that are dangerous (or even fatal). Also there is medication avilable that will preserve his cognitive abilities for as long as possible.
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DecriminalizeD, couple months ago in our metro area, a gentlemen when out for his daily walk and never made it back home which was very unusual for him. Authorities searched for almost a week. He eventually was found, but it was freezing cold at night, and with him out in the elements, sadly he didn't survive.

What would be great if there was a neighbor who likes to walk could go with your Dad. Walking is so very good for his health, I would hate for your Dad to stop doing this.

Heavens, Albert Einstein use to walk to town and would get lost walking back home. The area he lived, the police were familiar with this, so they would drive him home :)

As jjariz mentioned above, a lot of people rather die at home, but there comes a time when it isn't practical. If your folks could budget for Independent Apartment plus have a caregiver if your Mom still needs one..... if the complex is on many acres, your Dad would walk all day long within the gated community.
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It's unfortunate that APS couldn't have handled the situation more gently and compassionately. And it's also unfortunate that the caregiving agency is using what is generally good advice to force you to hire 2 more caregivers, apparently at your own cost.

Some random thoughts on helping him continue to walk:

Contact local walking clubs and see if any have routes in your area; perhaps he could join one; at least he wouldn't be alone.

Ask the same question of your local senior center; sometimes they have volunteers who can help in various ways. If not, perhaps the staff would be interested in starting a walking program? There may be liability issues, but I've found that senior centers in upscale areas are much more flexible and have better outreach programs than in smaller, mediocre cities (like mine, which seems to offer more casino trips than anything more useful or practical).

Are either of your parents Veterans? There is a volunteer program through the VA, but I don't recall specifically what it offers other than pet therapy. I believe it varies by area.

I don't know whether the caregiving agency can force you to hire 2 more workers. And unfortunately, these agencies typically are members of an oversight agency with standards (I only found one in Michigan that is), so I don't know whether or not an agency can in fact force you to hire 2 caregivers.

Is your mother otherwise alone at home when your father is walking? Does she need 24/7 care, so that she couldn't be alone for 1/2 hour or so?

It seems to me that hiring another caregiver for a minimum of 3 - 4 hours would benefit the agency nicely, although I do understand that these private duty outfits are liability conscious.
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What is the difference in your mind, DecriminalizeD, between walking and wandering? If you thought your dad was wandering, would you be more concerned?
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My girlfriends father did the same thing. Would walk their street every day. He was monitored by the police with an ankle bracelet. Just in case he forgot how to get home. Hiring another caregiver is going to cost. I like some of the other ideas.

You do realize that both your parents will need more help. They may not be able to remain in their home.
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my local library has a walking club group.
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The risk will become worse if your father starts to lose his grip on where it is and isn't safe to walk, is the trouble.

I like the idea of enlisting neighbours or finding him a walking group. The exercise is brilliant for him, and it would be such a pity for him to lose it.

Or, does he always go out at the roughly the same time? Would it be hugely expensive to hire a "walking caregiver" or companion for just those couple of hours?
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D... when our parents first exhibit signs of dementia , but are mostly competent, it's hard to separate what they can and cannot do; so I understand you are sort of feeling the need for hanging back. There are a lot of great suggestions here I would also throw out to you that my mom volunteered at the local hospital for a long time and all the other volunteers were seniors so if you come up with any dead ends in the other recommendations you could approach the volunteer office at local hospitals or organizations just to see if you could post a help wanted situation.. My mom had to stop volunteering because she was getting lost in the hospital ... And her volunteer job was to transport patients from one side of the hospital to the other... but at that point, she still was okay to perform her other daily activities... and the other volunteers would plan coffee meetups so that she didn't feel cut off and she was still allowed to go to any Hospital volunteer events. I realize dramatically different than your dad walking, but maybe another source of contacts. best of luck
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why was he reported in the first place?
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I expect through an abundance of caution on the part of a public-spirited member of the community, who thought "if in doubt, call" and called. The response from APS could have gone better, alas; but all the same doing that is better than the public being so afraid of interfering that they helplessly stand there and watch some poor old soul wander under a bus.
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We have a Memory Care facility in our neighborhood which (unfortunate planning) is right on one of the busiest streets in the city. The "able bodied" folks there are frustrated with being stuck indoors. I will admit that they are very much in the minority--most patients completely bedbound.

There's one gent who routinely slipped out whenever there's a group of people that leave. There is a "doorbell" that rings pretty loudly when the door is open--but staff ignore it when a group is there...I've watched this man just slip in amongst the "group" and pow! he's gone. I grabbed a staff member and said "You've got a walker!" and they go retrieve him. HOWEVER...for every time I have caught him (3) I wonder how many times he wandered aimlessly for hours? He was quickly moved to a more secure place, I've heard.

Grandpa also 'wandered' when his dementia got really bad. All the houses on his street were the exact same floor plan, he'd choose one and walk in--sweet neighbors returned him home. By that point, Grandma had to put him in a NH, she simply couldn't keep him safe. He was pretty non verbal and she just couldn't keep 24/7 track of him (in 1979--so not a lot available, help wise!).

A walking buddy or five would be great. No one person would be exhausted by the chore and it's great exercise. APS can be very scary to deal with-they're not always really gentle. Funny, you can't usually get them to even listen to you....
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If your parents have a faith community, perhaps volunteers to walk with dad could be found there. I know that I'd be pleased to do it 2 or 3 times a week, and would gladly organize a group of volunteers.
Perhaps check with your local Area on Aging. They usually have exercise programs and volunteers to help other elderly folks. They might love to get a walking program going.
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In my local news there is a story every week about a senior who went for their usual walk and is missing. This week there are two such stories.

We had a family member who walked just to the end of the block every day, yup, she got 'lost', even on the walk she had done for a decade. Luckily someone stopped when they say her looking agitated and she was only able to remember her daughters first name and occupation. Sally was a school teacher and a call to all the local schools found her and she left work to get her mother.

Tracking devices do not stop a person from wandering into traffic, construction, a water course (a huge issue where I live, lakes, rivers, streams and ocean all close by).

Your father needs a walking companion, either provided by the care agency, or by a family, friend or community member. You do not want your father in the news.
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I love the idea of walking companions. But if the walk is scheduled for 1:30 and Dad decides to go for a walk at 11:15, what is going to stop him from wandering on his own?
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I'd comply with what APS instructed. I get where the caretakers are coming from. With your mom needing care, what happens if your dad just walks out the door. Does the caretaker go off to supervise dad or stay behind to assist your mom, who's recovering from a broken hip? And like others have said, what happens if dad forgets about his walking buddy and just takes off walking alone? Your post says that neighbors report that he s walking all the time. I'd find out if that is true and discuss it with his doctor to see if he's overly anxious. Sometimes, incessant movement is a symptom of dementia.
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I'm very sympathetic to your parents' wish to stay in their own home. Many people feel that way. To make that possible may require more in-home help. What can your parents afford? Can family supplement that by taking some shifts of being with them?

What is your mother's prognosis? Is she expected to recover from her hip surgery and no longer need a caregiver herself? Presumably then they could get by with one caregiver, for Dad.

Dad has "moderate cognitive loss due to aging (dementia)." Sometimes Mild Cognitive Impairment does not get worse. But dementia always does, and MCI often transitions into dementia. I think it would be a good idea to discuss your father's prognosis with his doctor, so you can be realistic as you plan ahead.
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He should have a walking partner.
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Another thought...could a LifeAlert or something like that work also? It could be a literal lifesaver if he falls, has chest pain, etc.
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If his walking companion is scheduled for 1:30, and Dad wants to go out at 11:15, how about this: "Oh, Joe is coming at 1:30 to go out with you. He will be sooooo disappointed if you're not here. How about you help entertain Mom for a while"--or help fix lunch, or vacuum the living room.

It doesn't sound as if Dad is uncooperative at this point, and maybe he even understands the concerns of the community and will agree to scheduled times with companions.
The future may bring more needs and changes, of course.
Maybe Mom will soon be able to go out in a wheel chair, and she (and her care-giver if necessary) can go with him to help with directions.
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Caregiver is in the bathroom with Mom. Dad decides to go for walk. Out he goes. Not because he is uncooperative, but because his memory is faulty. Even if he understands and agrees with the plan to wait for companions, that doesn't necessarily keep him home.

Caregiver comes out of bathroom, gets Mom settled, and realizes Dad is not home. Now what? She calls police to pick him up? She leaves Mom alone and goes after him herself? Taking care of someone with physical needs and keeping an eye on someone with cognition problems is challenging to say the least, and most likely not in her job description.
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countrymouse, did the person who called not know him?
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debdaughter, when I'm walking in my own neighborhood, perhaps a dozen people would recognize me. More would say, "I've seen her before. I think she must live around here." I wear an ID bracelet, in case of an accident.

I know as many people as my small town cousin does, but they are scattered over a 7-county area. It isn't realistic to assume someone will know a person who wanders some distance from his immediate neighbors.
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Jeanne, this man has been walking the same route and distance for 27 yrs.
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Thank you for your suggestions about organized activities. My dad just isn't the going with the group kind of guy. He has always been independent. Backpacked across the Sierras by himself at 42. For the rest, I am worried about a country where people think that cats should be kept indoors 24/7 and elderly people too. Anybody out there remember what it feels like to have sun on your face and a breeze on your skin? My dad does and he raised me like that also. You all assume that I don't know what my dad can and cannot do. My brothers and I take regular walks with him. He is very careful about streets. He is more observant than we are, both in terms of being cautious and in seeing beauty. If he is put in a home where he can't walk he will just die. I am really disappointed that so many can't get that there is a difference between a person who has always walked and can't reliably find their way home, and someone who wanders because they have Alzheimers disease. My dad has neither Alzheimers nor Lewy body dementia. I am a health care provider actively involved in brain injury rehabilitation and I know a "bit" about brains and ADLs. My brothers and I all agree that he is at no more risk walking with not one, but two gps devices, and having caregivers come get him at 30 minutes, than he is getting into a car and riding along. People get in car accidents all the time. We don't protect ourselves from those car accidents by not getting in our cars. There is risk for everyone stepping outside the door. You have different experiences and it makes me sad for what you have had to go through. But why don't we all "get what we want" until we cannot tell the difference, if we have worked hard, been frugal and made our wishes clear? I thought perhaps I would get some sort of legal thoughts on it the subject. What I have found out is why the "authorities" can do what they do. It is because the populace in this country has not come up with humane solutions as they have in other countries for our elderly. What I am hearing is that a safe life in jail is preferable to a free life with reasonable risks. We aren't going to allow that. He has human rights, if not legal rights. Might let you know when I figure it out. Thank you for your thoughts.
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looking back, I haven't responded to some caring people who asked. The person who called has seen my dad walk by probably every day for the last two years. He lives on the next block. I went by to ask him not to call again, and explain my dad's situation and he lives in a house with a No Solicitors sign on the door, an alarm company posted and two signs saying you are being video surveilled. He was a little off when I spoke to him and slammed the door on me three times. I couldn't really get to the point where I could ask him not to call on my dad because we have safeguards in place.
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and my mom doesn't need 24/7 care. She needs help with dressing and bathing and preparing meals.
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It is better to go by the thought "if you see something say something" ON THE RARE EVENT THAT YOU MAY SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE. Case in point-recently I witnessed something VERY alarming-an elderly woman crossing a 6-lane highway, AT NIGHT, NOT ON A CROSSWALK, ON A CANE. I called 9-1-1 immediately. A woman had recently been struck and killed close to this area where I saw the woman!
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Your Dad has "moderate dementia" but "doesn't have Alzheimer's or LBD." What type of dementia does he have? Has he had a neuro workup to rule out all treatable diseases that cause dementia? Dementia is a symptom, not a disease.
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"Now he has moderate cognitive loss due to aging (dementia) and cannot remember how to get home."

It sounds like you think this is normal aging and not a disease process? Not being able to find his way home in a familiar neighborhood is not normal aging. Don't be afraid of having a neuro exam. If it is Alzheimer's-type dementia, there are medications that can delay the progression of symptoms and allow him to keep walking for as long as possible. Walking is a wonderful exercise for dementia patients.
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