Six of 10 Alzheimer's patients wander, and patients can get lost even in familiar places, according to Mary Reines, program director for the South Central Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Common sense and friendliness - both factors in the way the Perkses responded to Audrey Hogan in Cambridge - are the best suggestions for helping someone who is lost and may be an Alzheimer's patient, Reines said.

"Just ask if there is anything you can help with, start that way and see how it goes, in a very gentle way," she said. "Just say ‘Gee, I'm local, is there anything I can help you with?' "

Then, get as much information as possible, such as a telephone number, or contact the authorities to report a possible lost person needing help.

Most of the time, these patients show some of the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's, including disorientation of time and place, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language, poor judgment (such as not bringing along a sweater on a chilly night), misplacing things, problems with numbers, mood changes, or disinterest in usual pursuits.

Resources

• The Alzheimer's Association Helpline is 1-800-272-3900. Specific advice for dealing with wandering and travel issues is available at the group's Web page: www.alz.org/safetycenter.

• A comprehensive look at driving, aging and dementia can be found at: www.tinyurl.com/alzhelp.

• "Location-based mapping" services can monitor an Alzheimer's patient's movements and keep caretakers on notice via the Internet.

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