Lost elderly mother on Yangde Boulevard in Yangmingshan, police 'eagle eyes' find her

A missing elderly woman suffering from dementia was safely located by police after she wandered away from her home in Taipei's Yangmingshan district. The woman, identified by the surname Yang, lives with her family who provide her daily care. She reportedly left her residence unnoticed while her family was not paying attention.

After her family discovered her absence and could not find her, they reported her missing to the police. Using a location tracking device, they determined her last known whereabouts were near Section 3 of Yangde Boulevard. Responding officers from the Yongfu Police Station initiated a systematic search of the area.

Recognizing that the woman was likely walking, officers reasoned she would not have traveled an excessive distance. They confirmed her clothing description with her family and employed a concentric search pattern, expanding outwards from the last known location. Their efforts paid off when they found Ms. Yang looking confused and disoriented near Section 2 of Yangde Boulevard, close to Zhuangding Road.

Police brought Ms. Yang to the station and contacted her family, who were greatly relieved to be reunited with her and expressed their gratitude to the officers for their successful search. The incident prompted a reminder from the Shilin Precinct Police to caregivers of elderly individuals with dementia or those requiring special care. They advise close monitoring of their movements and potential activity areas, suggesting practical measures such as ensuring the individuals wear accessories with contact information, identification, or carry mobile phones. Additionally, they recommend fingerprint registration with police or applying for a 'love bracelet' for the prevention of wandering from the Social Affairs Bureau, which aids in quick identification if a person gets lost.

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Officers believed that Ms. Yang was walking, so her travel distance would not be too far.