Missing 67-Year-Old Inglewood Resident with Alzheimer’s Found Safe Thanks to LA Found

Los Angeles, CA— A missing 67-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s has been found safe thanks to the County’s L.A. Found program.

Bobbie Fisher, an Inglewood resident, was reported missing by her family Tuesday, October 8 at 8pm after being gone for several hours. In September of this year, Ms. Fisher’s family had enrolled her in LA County’s L.A. Found program which supplied her with a Project Lifesaver bracelet so that the Sheriff’s department could track her location if she went missing.

A LA County Sheriff’s Department Mental Evaluation Team responded to the scene and used a Project Lifesaver receiver to track her bracelet’s location to 304 E. Spruce Ave, approximately 2.5 miles from her home. She was found safe at 9:50 pm Tuesday evening and reunited with her family.

“Thanks to L.A. Found and the quick action of our LA County Sheriff’s deputies, Ms. Fisher was safely reunited with her family,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, who championed the creation of L.A. Found. “Since launching L.A. Found, I have spoken to caregivers across the County who worry constantly about what might happen if their loved one wanders away and goes missing. This program works—if you have a 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.”

“LA Found is more than a technological innovation – it’s a potential lifesaver for people living with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive impairments,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, whose district includes Inglewood. “This initially frightening situation ended on a happy note, with Ms. Fisher being reunified with her family, thanks to LA Found.”

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 most 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.

To learn more about the program and apply for a free trackable bracelet, caregivers can visit https://lafound.lacounty.gov/