Los Angeles, CA—Today, Supervisor Janice Hahn is celebrating her signature program’s tenth and eleventh saves since the program launched last September.
In the past week, two people with cognitive impairments wearing LA Found trackable bracelets went missing and both were located and returned safely to their families.
“I launched L.A. Found because I knew that this technology would save lives,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Both of these men were found safe and reunited with their loved ones thanks to L.A. Found. This program works. If you have loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s, dementia, or autism, I encourage you to learn more about L.A. Found and see if a trackable bracelet is right for your family.”
Save #10: Friday, July 26th
Angel, a 78-year-old Downey resident with Alzheimer’s was with his family at the Banc of California soccer stadium in Exposition Park on Friday evening when he walked away from his family and went missing.
An LA Sheriff’s Department Mental Evaluation Team used a Project Lifesaver receiver to track his bracelet’s location. Angel was safely located at 11:58pm at 11401 Alameda Street, Los Angeles. Despite using a walker, Angel was able to walk 7.1 miles away from the stadium before he was located. He was treated for exposure.
Save #11: Wednesday, July 31st
On Tuesday, July 30th, Steve, a 60 year-old-man with cognitive impairments went missing from a Board and Care facility in Long Beach. Authorities were notified Wednesday afternoon and were able to track Steve’s location using his Project Lifesaver bracelet. He was found safe one mile away from where he was last seen.
About L.A. Found
Wandering is a common problem associated with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and autism. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 60% of people with dementia will wander at some point while a study by the Interactive Autism Network found that 49% of children with autism will engage in wandering behavior. While the vast majority of these individuals are recovered, wandering cases can end in tragedy.
L.A. Found is a program established by the LA County Board of Supervisors in September of 2018 which aims to find people who wander quickly and reunite them with their families. It uses a system of voluntary, trackable bracelets given to individuals with Alzheimer’s, autism, dementia, or another cognitive impairment that puts them at risk of wondering. Each bracelet corresponds with a unique radio frequency. When a person wearing a bracelet goes missing, the LA County Sheriff’s Department Mental Evaluation Team can use a handheld receiver or receiver mounted on a helicopter to track the person’s location.
Right now, more than 346 trackable bracelets have been distributed to LA County residents.
To learn more about the program and apply for a free trackable bracelet, caregivers can visit www.LAFound.com.