Alzheimer's Club

"CHICAGO (26 July 2005) -- Every year, across the United States, thousands of older adults are reported wandering; lost and disoriented. As many as 60 percent of people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia will wander, often repeatedly. If not found within 24 hours, up to half of those who wander will suffer serious injury-- even death.

The Alzheimer's Association Safe Return(R) program has a proven 98 percent success rate in returning wanderers. To increase enrollment, the Association has announced efforts to promote greater awareness of the program, made possible through a $250,000 grant from MetLife Foundation.

The grant will fund outreach efforts of three leading association chapters and their regional offices: in Philadelphia, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and Sioux City. These chapters will seek to increase enrollment in the Safe Return program in their communities, as well as plan best practices that can serve as models for Association chapters across the country. These chapters will also work to identify collaborative opportunities to educate and engage audiences to build awareness of the wandering issue and Safe Return.

Originally developed in 1993, Safe Return is an identification, support, and enrollment program working at the community level to provide assistance for a person with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia who wanders off and becomes lost; either locally or far from home. For a one-time enrollment fee of $40, assistance is available 24 hours a day, every day. Since its inception, Safe Return has helped facilitate over 10,000 safe returns. Last year, over 3,000 wandering incidents were reported to the program.

"Wandering is a frightening and potentially life-threatening behavior for those with Alzheimer's," said Sibyl Jacobson, President, MetLife Foundation. "As more individuals are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, people need to be made aware of this life-saving and important program."

"We've seen quite positive results with Safe Return, but feel strongly that greater outreach will allow us to make a difference in the lives of many more families," said Kathryn Kane, Senior Vice President of Brand Management and Marketing at the Alzheimer's Association. "We're proud of the success of the Safe Return program, and appreciate the support that MetLife Foundation is providing to help spread the word."

About the Alzheimer's Association: The Alzheimer's Association, the world leader in Alzheimer research and support, is the first and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and an eventual cure for Alzheimer's. For nearly 25 years, the donor-supported, not-for-profit Alzheimer's Association has provided reliable information and care consultation; created supportive services for families; increased funding for dementia research; and influenced public policy changes. The Alzheimer's Association's vision is a world without Alzheimer's and its dual mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research and to enhance care and support for individuals, their families and caregivers. To enroll in Safe Return, or for information on senior safety issues, call 1-888-572-8566 or visit www.alz.org/safereturn.

About MetLife Foundation: MetLife Foundation has supported Alzheimer's disease research and outreach activities for more than 20 years. MetLife Foundation has awarded nearly $10 million in grants through its Awards for Medical Research in Alzheimer's Disease program. It also has a long history of providing support to the Alzheimer's Association in its mission to advance research, public awareness and diversity outreach, as well as enhancing care and support, through initiatives that include caregiving videos, resources for the Hispanic community, and Safe Return. Recently, MetLife Foundation was the sponsor of The Forgetting, an Emmy-winning primetime PBS documentary and outreach program on the disease. For information about MetLife Foundation, please visit www.metlife.org. MetLife is the trade name of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company

Contacts MetLife, Inc. David Hammarstrom, 401-827-2273 dhammarstrom@metlife.com or Alzheimer's Association Pam Rwankole, 312-335-5719"

Source: Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA (26 July 2005) [FullText]