The Groton Council on Aging, Groton Police Department and Groton Fire Department are pleased to announce Project Safe and Sound. This collaborative effort is intended to protect Groton residents (of any age), with cognitive impairment, that may be at risk for wandering.
Over sixty percent of people with Alzheimer’s or a related disorder will wander. Any family that is directly affected by dementia should consider registering for Project Safe and Sound as very few families expect a family member to go missing until it happens for the first time. Approximately six in ten of those with dementia will wander at least once, health-care statistics show, and the numbers are growing worldwide, fueled primarily by Alzheimer’s disease. If not found within 24 hours, up to half of wandering seniors with dementia suffer serious injury or death.
Collecting this confidential information before an incident occurs enables the police department to begin search procedures immediately, as collection of data after the person has already gone missing can delay an effective search for an hour or more, increasing the chances that the wanderer will be in danger.
The Safe and Sound Registry contains identifying information such as date of birth, medical condition, a recent photo, emergency contact information, favorite places to go, and more.
All information on the registration form is kept completely confidential and accessible only to our First Responders and Council on Aging. If you would like to register, or you have a loved one you would like to register for Project Safe and Sound, you can stop in at the Police Department or the Council on Aging for a form. You can also find the registration form online here.
Please return all forms to:
Groton Council on Aging
The Groton Center
163 West Main Street
Groton, MA 01450.
There is no age requirement to be entered into this program. Residents who have a loved one with a serious cognitive impairment are encouraged to contact the Stacey Shepard Jones at the Council on Aging, 978-448-1170 for more information on Project Safe and Sound.
