NCJ Number
164483
Journal
Trooper (Fall 1996) Pages: 28-29
Date Published
1996
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article provides guidelines for police in recognizing and interacting with a person who has Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking, and behavior.
Abstract
Given the nature of AD, police are likely to encounter AD patients wandering the streets or involved in auto accidents and traffic violations, indecent exposure, shoplifting, and homicide/suicide. In the latter case, caregivers for AD patients may be unable to bear the burden of dealing with this devastating disease and may take the law into their own hands. Although there are no obvious physical signs of AD, some common behavior patterns and symptoms include confusion, impaired judgment, loss of language skills, memory loss, and decreased ability to perform routine tasks. When encountering a possible AD patient, police should use a nonthreatening tone of voice; maintain a calm environment; and remove the individual from noisy, stressful situations. They should ask questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no," and ask one question at a time, allowing for an extended response time. They should be patient; if attempts at communication are unsuccessful, wait a few minutes and then try again. The Alzheimer's Association provides a Safe Return program that is a nationwide identification registry program designed to assist law enforcement agencies with information that facilitates the quick identification and return to caregivers for AD individuals. The program includes an identity bracelet or necklace, clothing labels, and wallet cards to assist officers in identifying the memory-impaired individual.