Call our 24 hours, seven days a week helpline at 800.272.3900

24/7 Helpline 800.272.3900
Donate
Northwest Ohio
Change Location

Legislation to Require First Responders to Get Dementia Training Needed for Those Who Wander

Legislation to Require First Responders to Get Dementia Training Needed for Those Who Wander
Share or Print this page
Share or Print this page
December 16, 2019
Email:
Share or Print this page
COLUMBUS, OH- New proposed legislation to train peace officers and medical service personnel on how to identify and communicate with those displaying symptoms of Alzheimer’s or dementia will prepare safety forces on how to help those who wander.

On Dec. 9, State Representatives Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) and Thomas West (D-Canton) introduced a bill that would establish training requirements for first responders on how to identify and interact with individuals with dementia.  As Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia, progresses, an individual will experience many symptoms including depression, anger, agitation, hallucinations and wandering.

The bill would require at least two hours of instruction for cadets with satisfactory completion of basic training at an approved peace officer training school. Plummer said, “those who are suffering with dementia deserve to have trained professionals looking out for them and working with them at all times.”

The training would focus on seven components:
Identifying individuals with dementia, including psychiatric and behavioral symptoms of dementia
Respectful and effective communication techniques for communicating with individuals with dementia and their caregivers
Techniques for addressing the behavioral symptoms of dementia, including alternatives to physical restraint
Identifying and reporting incidents of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals with dementia to the office of attorney general
Protocols for contacting caregivers when an individual with dementia is found wandering or during an emergency or crisis situation
Local resources available for individuals with dementia
Local and national organizations that assist peace officers with locating missing and wandering individuals with dementia and returning them to their caregivers

Trey Addison, Ohio Public Policy Director for the Alzheimer’s Association, said,

“With six out of 10 people with dementia wandering and more than 220,000 individuals currently living with the disease in Ohio, our hardworking first responders are faced with a potential of 132,000 interactions with someone with dementia. Ohio’s next generation of first responders must be equipped with the skills in how to help someone with dementia.”

“This legislation is a great next step on the heels of Governor Mike DeWine signing Senate Bill 24, which established an Alzheimer’s State Task Force,” Addison added. “We are grateful Representatives Plummer and West are taking the lead on getting this important process underway.”

Ohio is on the brink of a demographic shift where seniors will outnumber those 18 and younger. The 220,000 people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia are expected to grow by more than 20 percent in the next five years.

Rep. West said, “Making sure that our peace officers and first responders are equipped to identify and effectively interact with Ohioans with dementia is crucial. Our bill would ensure that they receive the necessary training to handle these situations and ensure the safety of our loved ones with this disease.”

About the Alzheimer’s Association:
The Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. For more information, visit www.alz.org.

Alzheimer's Association

The Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia.™ For more information, visit www.alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.

Keep Up With Alzheimer’s News and Events

The first survivor of Alzheimer's is out there, but we won't get there without you.

Donate Now

Learn how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain.

Take the Brain Tour

Don't just hope for a cure. Help us find one. Volunteer for a
clinical trial.

Learn More