Electronic equipment such as bed and door alarms, video cameras and resident tracking devices can help prevent wandering and elopement and long-term care facilities, according to an article on the McKnight's website.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, approximately half of all elopements occur within the first days of admission so having designated rooms away from exits and closer to community areas is advisable.
Install an internal alert system to signal staff if a resident is missing and have a shaded-in floor plan available of searched areas to avoid duplication of efforts, the article said.
If an elopement does occur, conduct an investigation to determine how the elopement occurred in order to correct any underlying contributing factors.
Medical Outpatient Buildings: 4 Trends Bringing Risk, Opportunity
Building Senior Care Facilities for Harsh Temperatures
Nemours Children's Health Opens the Betty and Jack Demetree Family Center for Otolaryngology
Laser Scanning: Reducing Risk in Construction Projects
MOBs Get Smarter and More Complex as Space Pressures Mount