nursing home elopement

dadscaregiver

Dad has alzheimers and is in an assisted living memory care facility.  This morning we got a call saying they couldn't find Dad.  After about an hour they called us back saying they found him.  He had wandered into a room that is usually locked, locked the door behind him, and fell asleep.  Needless to say, we were very relieved.  But it made me wonder if this has happened at this facility in the past, and if there were any requirements for nursing homes to report these incidents.  Is there any way we can research elopement incidents in nursing homes?

towhee

Nursing homes and assisted living often have different regulations and oversight bodies can be different and they can differ by state. That said if someone made a formal complaint to the oversight body there will be a record. Usually the facility is supposed to have those records available for you to see, and sometimes there is an online state resource that you can search. You can also contact your long term care ombudsman and your local Agency on aging.

You are right to be concerned. Many years ago, a relative told me of a local nursing home that lost a resident for 12 hours. They brought in search teams and even a dog, searched inside and out. The resident was found 12 hours later in a supply room on the same floor and had passed away. They should at the very least have an in service on proper search methods.

harshedbuzz

Strictly speaking, if he didn't leave the building/property I don't know that I would label it elopement which has an element of exit-seeking to it. He wandered into a place that wasn't his own room and feel asleep there. I suspect that's a regular occurrence in most MCFs; I know strange men have turned up in bed with both my aunt and my dad when they neglected to lock their doors. The latter when I was visiting him in his room. 

Staff should be doing routine checks 24/7- usually every 2 hours overnight and hourly during the day. It sounds as if they did that. 

I have no idea if elopements are required to be reported or recorder. Perhaps the ombudsman can fill you in. 

HB

Marta

This is a regular occurrence. 

Imagine trying to prevent it. 

This is not elopement. 

Quilting brings calm

I agree that this is not elopement.people in MC and nursing homes often wander. That’s why both have doors locked to prevent patients wandering outside. That probably why the room in question was also supposed to be locked. 

The only thing I see that should be done is that they should search all to their locked rooms sooner rather than later. 

dadscaregiver

I agree this is not a case of elopement.  But for a short time this morning we and the nursing home staff considered the possibility that it was.  They were looking outside the facility on the street for my dad.  Dad definitely wanders throughout the facility, in and out of other rooms.  But the fact that the staff was actually looking outside makes me believe that even they thought he might have somehow gotten out.  I know nothing is 100% foolproof, that security bracelets stop working randomly, security systems have occasional glitches.  My Dad is also a tinkerer and it would not surprise me for him to figure out how to dismantle a window and make his way out.  I'm not angry with the facility - we are actually very pleased with it and have only heard good things about it from anyone we talk to.  I guess yesterday's events just make me wonder how often elopement actually happens, if facilities are required to report, and if any governing body keeps statistics.  It would be a very helpful thing to find out about a facility before anyone places a family member there.