Aim: To examine the efficacy of strategies used by the police for missing persons with dementia. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines, we searched peer-reviewed and gray literature of existing police practices used for missing persons with dementia. Data from the studies were analyzed descriptively. Results: The literature described 16 articles and 18 websites. Strategies ranged from identification tools, successful field techniques, locating technologies and community engagement/education. Overall scientific evidence was low, with only three studies evaluating the usability and effectiveness of the suggested strategies. Conclusion: More rigorous research is required to demonstrate the efficacy of best police practices for missing persons with dementia, which in turn could assist in the development of a best practice guideline.

BACKGROUND: Occupational therapists use technologies to manage wandering-related risks to promote safety and independence among individuals with dementia living in the community.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review was to examine types of technologies used to manage wandering behaviour.
METHODS: Using a modification of Arksey and O\'Malley\'s methodology, we systematically searched peer-reviewed and grey literature on technologies used in home or supportive care environments for persons with dementia at risk for wandering. Data from the studies were analyzed descriptively.
RESULTS: The literature described 83 technologies. Nineteen devices were clinically tested. Interventions ranged from alarm products to mobile locator devices. Benefits included reductions in risk and caregiver burden.
CONCLUSIONS: Occupational therapy strategies include technologies to enhance function in persons with dementia. Technologies can also reduce risks of wandering and should be affordable. Ethical issues of the use of technology must be addressed. More research is needed to increase levels of evidence.

Dementia-related wandering is exhibited by as many as 63% of people with dementia living in the community. There is strong evidence that people with dementia who wander are at risk of life-threatening outcomes including injury from falls, exhaustion, weight loss, and becoming lost. Furthermore, carers have reported that fear of a person with dementia becoming lost contributes to them taking extreme measures in an attempt to maintain safety at home and there are few guidelines to direct care practices. Previous literature reviews of interventions to manage wandering have been inconclusive as the quality of research resulted in most studies being excluded. This narrative review aimed to report on the current state of wandering intervention science for people with dementia cared for in the community. An extensive search of articles and grey literature published between January 1999 and November 2017 was conducted and included quantitative studies that reported findings of nonpharmacological interventions for people with dementia living in the community that reported outcome measures of wandering characteristics (e.g., frequent ambulation, pacing, and boundary transgression). Eleven papers met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which were small nonrandomised studies or case studies with interventions that focused on: engaging the person with dementia in an activity, improving safety with environmental modifications, and technology to improve navigation or to monitor movement. While the strength of the evidence was low, the review has identified some promising interventions that carers of people with dementia could trial to reduce risky aspects of wandering, as well as identifying potential directions for future research.

This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of environment-based interventions that address behavior, perception, and falls in the home and other settings for people with Alzheimer\'s disease (AD) and related major neurocognitive disorders (NCDs).
Database searches were limited to outcomes studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between January 2006 and April 2014.
A total of 1,854 articles were initially identified, of which 42 met inclusion criteria.
Strong evidence indicates that person-centered approaches can improve behavior. Moderate evidence supports noise regulation, environmental design, unobtrusive visual barriers, and environmental relocation strategies to reduce problematic behaviors. Evidence is insufficient for the effectiveness of mealtime ambient music, bright light, proprioceptive input, wander gardens, optical strategies, and sensory devices in improving behavior or reducing wandering and falls. Although evidence supports many environment-based interventions used by occupational therapy practitioners to address behavior, perception, and falls in people with AD and related major NCDs, more studies are needed.

BACKGROUND: Unexplained absence of nursing home (NH) residents is one of the most challenging issues related to the care of older people. The aim of this review was to examine the death and injury outcomes of unexplained absence of NH residents.
METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AgeLine, and Cochrane Library to identify qualitative and quantitative studies published in the English language. Data on death and injury were collated, and aggregate proportions were calculated where possible.
RESULTS: Nine studies were identified; most (n = 6) were conducted in the United States. Persons with dementia formed the study population in all studies. There were 1440 individual unexplained absences reported across the 9 studies. We calculated a rate of 82 deaths and 61 injuries per 1000 incidents of unexplained absence. Extreme temperatures were the most common cause of death. Most individuals left by foot, and were found within a 1-mile radius of place last seen in green vegetation and waterways.
CONCLUSIONS: This review provides valuable insight into death and injury outcomes. Further studies are recommended to improve understanding and prevent adverse outcomes.

Dementia affects more than 47.5 million people worldwide, and the number is expected to continue to increase as the population ages. Doll therapy is an emerging nonpharmacologic management strategy for patients with advanced dementia, especially in patients with challenging behaviours. A total of 12 published studies (mainly cohort and observational studies) were identified and discussed in this systematic review. In most instances, cognitive, behavioural and emotional symptoms were alleviated and overall wellbeing was improved with doll therapy, and dementia sufferers were found to be able to better relate with their external environment. Despite the relative paucity of empirical data and ethical concerns, we are of the opinion that doll therapy is effective for dementia care, is well-aligned with the ethos of person-centred care and should be applied in the management of dementia patients. Future research should include more robust randomized controlled trials.

Wandering behavior is common in patients with dementia. The purpose of this literature review was to define wandering, describe the factors of wandering and analyze different interventions and nursing skill of managing this behavior. Finally, barriers to and effective nursing intervention for wandering behavior will be reviewed as they appear within the literature. The search was conducted to use the PubMed, ProQuest, CINAHL, MEDLINE databases from 1990 to 2015. Search terms used included \'wandering\', \'intervention\', \'dementia or Alzheimer\', \'nursing\', and \'elopement\'. The inclusion criteria were: implementing the effective nursing intervention to manage wandering behavior, scholarly and peer reviewed journals, and publication in the English language.

Management of a crime is the process of ensuring accurate and effective collection and preservation of physical evidence. Forensic botany can provide significant supporting evidences during criminal investigations. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of forensic botany in the crime scene. We reported a case of a woman affected by dementia who had disappeared from nursing care and was found dead near the banks of a river that flowed under a railroad. Two possible ways of access to crime scene were identified and denominated \"Path A\" and \"Path B.\" Both types of soil and plants were identified. Botanical survey was performed. Some samples of Xanthium Orientalis subsp. Italicum were identified. The fall of woman resulted in external injuries and vertebral fracture at autopsy. The botanical evidence is important when crime scene and autopsy findings are not sufficient to define the dynamics and the modality of death.

As America ages, greater numbers of older adults will be living with Alzheimer\'s disease or a related dementia, leading to increased incidence of wandering. Currently there are several initiatives to assist older adults who go missing. We describe and critically examine three prominent and widespread programs: Safe Return, Project Lifesaver, and Silver Alert. Despite their emergence, there has been little research on their effectiveness. More fundamentally, the nature and scope of the missing elder problem is understudied. We call for further research into this issue, as well as assessments of how well such programs balance individual liberties with safety concerns.

OBJECTIVE: This paper provides an overview of the available literature on architectural wayfinding design for people with dementia in nursing homes. The results were to be summarized and substantiated through an interdisciplinary interpretation, taking into account changes in the orientation process of people with dementia.
BACKGROUND: Spatial disorientation and declining wayfinding abilities are among the early symptoms of dementia, limiting a person\'s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) independently and ultimately, perhaps leading to institutionalization. A prerequisite to maintaining residents\' quality of life in a nursing home is their ability to orient themselves within their new environment.
METHODS: The available literature on wayfinding design for people with dementia in nursing homes was reviewed. Two aspects of interventions for residents\' wayfinding abilities were identified: the design of the floor plan typology and environmental cues.
RESULTS: The design of the physical environment plays a major role in supporting the wayfinding abilities of people with dementia. The floor plan design of a nursing home in particular has a significant influence on residents\' spatial orientation and wayfinding. Additional interventions such as signage, furnishing, lighting, and colors are additional supporting features but they cannot compensate for an adverse architectural design.
CONCLUSIONS: For the creation of a supportive, dementia-friendly environment, both aspects of architectural design must be considered. Design guidelines to support the wayfinding abilities of people with dementia were developed to synthesize both.