People with dementia can sometimes forget every day life details. A woman called into the Charles County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland to report that her 81-year-old mother with dementia had gone out for her daily walk up and down the driveway of their home and had never returned home. Officers DeBoe, Caywood, and Morrison, Sargent Black, and Corporal Clevenger along with their police dog went out immediately to go look for her. [googlead] They searched along the woods to see if they could find her. Luckily, within 40 minutes Officer Morrison was able to find her (picture below). However what made this story become so famous on the internet is what the lovely thing the officer did and said to her right after. Her grabbed her hand and slowly walked her home.
The police office’s Facebook page stated, “At first, she seemed confused at the sudden appearance of police officers on the tree-lined trail, and she asked if the officers were out taking a walk, too. They quietly replied ‘Yes,’ after all, it was a beautiful day. And then she seemed relieved and told them she had lost her way. ‘No problem,’ said Officer Morrison who then gently took her hand and along with the other officers walked her back to her house. Along the way, the officers made small talk with the woman, to make her feel at ease.”
He then asked her what the key to a long and healthy life is and she replied it “staying active and eating healthy!”.
What a beautiful story, share this lovely story and picture with the people you care about on facebook and help spread awareness of dementia.
