My wife was in a jolly mood after her visit to the chiropodist this morning. He'd endured her repeated stories about tap dancing and being asked about his hair colour with his customary patience. The queue at Cafe Nero was out the door so we decide to skip coffee and get the metro home. She walked a few paces behind me as she usually does. Then, suddenly, just like on the TV, I turned to speak to her only to find that she was gone. There was not a trace as I searched up and down busy Northumberland Street so I telephoned 999 and reported that a vulnerable person with advanced dementia had gone missing.
An officer soon arrived and as he took details a 'high risk' search began. After retracing our route with him we returned home so that I could find a photo of her. By this time PCs and PCSOs were searching in the city centre, at metro stations and in the vicinity of our home. A CCTV image of her was found, timed just about when she went missing. We circulated a recent photo. Shortly afterwards, about 3 hours after she first went missing, she was found asking for me in Marks and Spencers and brought home safely.
A happy ending after a relatively short but anxious time. I can't praise too highly the officer who first attended and am very grateful for his and his colleagues' efforts. From our conversation I am certain that he learned more about the scope and peculiarities of dementia - and the limitations it imposes - than he thought possible. As for my wife, her adventure is forgotten already but I'll need to be doubly vigilant next time we are in the city.
An officer soon arrived and as he took details a 'high risk' search began. After retracing our route with him we returned home so that I could find a photo of her. By this time PCs and PCSOs were searching in the city centre, at metro stations and in the vicinity of our home. A CCTV image of her was found, timed just about when she went missing. We circulated a recent photo. Shortly afterwards, about 3 hours after she first went missing, she was found asking for me in Marks and Spencers and brought home safely.
A happy ending after a relatively short but anxious time. I can't praise too highly the officer who first attended and am very grateful for his and his colleagues' efforts. From our conversation I am certain that he learned more about the scope and peculiarities of dementia - and the limitations it imposes - than he thought possible. As for my wife, her adventure is forgotten already but I'll need to be doubly vigilant next time we are in the city.