This week, the Ontario government announced a commendable investment in dementia care, allocating $80 million to expand access to support programs for people living with dementia and their caregivers. While this funding signals progress in addressing the growing dementia crisis, it still overlooks a critical and dangerous symptom that affects up to 60% of people with dementia: wandering.
Wandering isn’t just a symptom; it’s a public safety emergency. Every day in Toronto, four seniors with dementia go missing. These incidents put individuals at significant risk of injury or even death while placing immense emotional and financial stress on their families. For public safety agencies, wandering leads to resource-intensive search and rescue operations, often costing $10,000 to $30,000 per case.
The government’s investment is a step forward, but without a comprehensive strategy to address wandering, we’re missing a vital piece of the puzzle.
Wandering is one of the most common and life-threatening behaviors associated with dementia. Individuals who wander often cannot identify themselves, explain their situation, or seek help. For families, every moment spent searching feels like an eternity. For first responders, it’s a race against time.
Programs like Silver Alerts, which notify the public when someone with dementia is missing, are helpful but insufficient. Alerts raise awareness, but they don’t always prompt action. Most people don’t know what to look for or how to approach someone with dementia safely. Without public education and actionable tools, Silver Alerts risk becoming background noise—yet another notification that people swipe away.
The stress of wandering incidents doesn’t just impact the individual at risk—it takes a significant toll on caregivers, the backbone of dementia support in Ontario. Most caregivers are unpaid family members who juggle their roles with their own personal and professional responsibilities. Supporting caregivers isn’t just compassionate; it’s essential for sustaining this unpaid workforce, which saves the healthcare system billions annually.
Addressing dementia-related wandering requires a multifaceted strategy that delivers proactive, real-time solutions. By focusing on public education, proven tools and technology, and an integrated emergency response system, we can safeguard vulnerable individuals and reduce the risks and costs associated with wandering incidents.
First responder resources are not enough. For Canadians to play an active role in supporting individuals with dementia, they need the knowledge and resources to recognize and respond to wandering. Practical guidance on how to safely approach and assist someone who may be lost is critical, empowering bystanders to act confidently and compassionately. Additionally, caregivers need access to resources that help them prevent wandering before it occurs, creating a safety net for individuals with dementia and their families.
Awareness must be paired with tools that provide immediate, effective responses in emergencies. Programs like MedicAlert Safe & Found. Research shows that individuals using Safe & Found are significantly more likely to be returned home without harm—91% of cases compared to less than 50% without these tools. In addition to improving outcomes for individuals and families, Safe & Found reduces the duration and financial costs of search efforts, making it a practical and cost-effective solution for public safety agencies. This combination of preventative capability and real-time responsiveness makes Safe & Found an indispensable resource in managing dementia-related wandering.
In emergencies, time is of the essence. MedicAlert’s 24/7 emergency hotline serves as a vital link, connecting first responders to detailed health profiles that guide their actions and ensure the safety of individuals with dementia. Integrating programs like Safe & Found into Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) systems takes this a step further, enabling seamless communication between emergency services and MedicAlert’s database. This level of integration ensures that no time is wasted, and every available resource is used efficiently to protect those at risk.
By combining public education, cutting-edge technology, and integrated emergency response systems, we can build a society where individuals with dementia are safeguarded, families are supported, and public resources are used effectively. The time to act is now.
As Ontario continues to invest in dementia care, it’s time to fill the gaps in the province’s strategy. Wandering isn’t just a family issue—it’s a public health and safety challenge that requires government support. Programs like MedicAlert Safe & Found have proven their effectiveness, but they need sustained funding and integration into public systems to reach their full potential.
Ontario’s $80 million commitment to dementia support is a positive step, but let’s not stop there. By taking action now to address wandering, we can protect the lives of vulnerable Ontarians, ease the burden on caregivers, and position the province as a leader in compassionate, effective dementia care.
The next piece of the puzzle is clear—it’s time to act.