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DRice1 Asked March 2022

How soon are nursing homes, assisted living communities, and memory care units required to notify you if your loved one exits the facility?

My 88-year-old father escaped from his memory care, then through the assisted living unit and got out the front door. He was to the street before they caught up with him. I believe this happened about 10 PM and I was not notified until 3 o’clock in the afternoon the next day.

AlvaDeer Mar 2022
Your Father attempted an escape. This isn't unusual. He made his way through the facility and out the front door to the street by the time they caught up with him.
This never was an emergency incident. The facility did tell you that it occurred. It has happened in, I would think, almost every facility on earth.
Once, when I was "floated" as they called it, to the psychiatric unit, I saw a well dressed, suit and tied gentleman approach a regular and say he was ready to leave. Hansen, thinking he was an MD, opened the door and let him out.
This all gets filed under "stuff happens". If it happens too often then it may be time to consider placement elsewhere.
When a non-incident incident occurs staff is often asked to wait for regular admins to arrive in order that they can report it. Yes, 3 in the afternoon is a bit late in the day. You might ask THEM (as we couldn't know) why they waited so long to tell you. I will hope that they have some answer for you, but the truth is that there may have been cracks this fell through. You will be able to tell a lot about them by their honesty and attitude.

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