View Single Post
Old 19-04-2007, 10:48   #13
MargaretR
God Member
 
MargaretR's Avatar
 

Re: Tag elderly people, says science minister

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gayle View Post
If you've experienced the sheer panic of 'losing' an elderly person (or a younger person with alzheimers for that matter) because they've left the house and no one knows where they are then you'll understand the severity of it. I don't think this article means tagging all old people, just vulnerable ones who are suffering some sort of mental impairment.

I've seen it happen a few times - one old lady left her house without a coat on in winter and didn't take her keys with her. The neighbours alerted the family when they saw her leaving but by the time the family had got there ten minutes later she was nowhere to be seen. They set off looking for her and eventually found her, extremely cold in the local park - she'd got lost and couldn't find her way home.

Another, who lived with her husband, let herself out of her house late at night whilst he was in the kitchen and she tried to walk all the way across Blackburn in her nighty to the house she lived in when she was a child.
My father was found wandering the corridors of sheltered housing in his pyjamas, but he couldn't get outside so came to no harm - (just gave a few liitle old ladies a surprise )
Later, in contrast, my mother was put in a nursing home (by my brother without consulting me) due to physical illheath. She was mentally very alert to the end, but spent 2 years in 2 homes (both bad ones) - a sadder way to end life.
__________________



MargaretR is offline   Reply With Quote