Exploratory research on outcomes for individuals missing through dementia wandering in Japan

• Published in: Geriatrics & gerontology international Vol. 19; no. 9; pp. 902 - 906
• Main Authors: Kikuchi, Kazunori, Ijuin, Mutsuo, Awata, Shuichi, Suzuki, Takao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto, Japan John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.09.2019; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Behavior Control - methods; Cause of Death; Dangerous Behavior; Death & dying; Dementia; Dementia - diagnosis; Dementia - psychology; Dementia - therapy; Early Diagnosis; Family - psychology; Female; Humans; Japan; Male; missing; Missing persons; Older people; Patient Care Planning - standards; Residence Characteristics; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; search activities; wandering; Wandering Behavior - psychology; Wandering Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Japan; missing; dementia; cause of death; wandering; search activities
• ISSN: 1444-1586; 1447-0594
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13738

Aim To clarify the factors related to outcomes of individuals missing through dementia wandering. Methods We carried out binary logistic regression analysis with 160 family members of missing persons (88 survivors, 72 decedents). Results Living alone at the point of going missing (OR 13.45, 95% CI 1.12–161.56), being found within the local area (OR 6.36, 95% CI 2.26–17.88), and a long period between going missing and being found (OR 6.14, 95% CI 3.14–12.00) were significantly related with death. Conclusions Early detection of missing persons is essential in preventing dementia wandering‐related deaths. The time taken to locate missing dementia patients who lived alone was longer, relative to that of those who lived with others, and this increased the risk of death. Furthermore, the locations where the deceased were located tended to be local, rather than distant areas. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 902–906.