| Lost people are usually predictable. Their behavior can be charted depending upon age, gender, interests, physical and mental condition, time of day, weather, and terrain. With that in mind, it can be dangerous to make any presumptions regarding lost person behavior. A subject’s behavior is affected by many factors including environmental factors. Use your own judgment when considering these traits. This page is not designed to teach you how to search for your subject. It should give you a starting point. Data gathered from past search and rescue successes can point you in the right direction for your next search and rescue mission. |
Behavior Characteristics of Elderly and Alzheimer's
The elderly and people with alheimer's are often oriented to the past. They are usually less able to generate heat from reserve calories, and are poorly clothed. Your search and rescue team needs to realize that this category is urgent. Active ones will overexert themselves.
Your search and rescue team will find that many in this category are hard of hearing so calling may not bring results. However, call out to them anyway.
They are often found within 50 feet of a road or a path. Many are found prone.
Reasearch supports that alzheimer's patients will often follow the path of least resistance. They also tend to "go until stuck". They will simply walk until something stops them. They can often be found in thick brush or briars (a feature untrained searchers often avoid). It has been said that they "appear to lack ability to turnaround".
Notes your search and rescue team may find helpful:
- Usually found within one mile of PLS.
- Half found within 0.5 miles.
- Search along roads.
- Establish containment points
- Early use of tracking dogs at IPP.
- Deploy air-scent dog teams into drainages and streams.
- Early deployment of hasty ground teams into drainages and streams nearest
the IPP. - Ensure teams search heavy briars/bushes.
An excellent book can be found on Amazon.com Lost Person Behavior: A search and rescue guide on where to look - for land, air and water
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