brother’s keeper

Why Are Dementia Patients Who Wander So Drawn to Water? Why Do They Drown?
Dementia and Alzheimers Disease

Why Are Wandering Dementia Patients Drawn to Water? Why Do They Drown?

12/03/2025 Bruce Strom 0

The biggest objection property managers and association boards raised against performing health and wellness checks on their owners and residents is they are not nursing homes: they do not want to be held responsible for the welfare of their owners and residents. But even if they wanted to, they cannot take on the responsibility of care. Instead, they should call the police and request that they conduct a health and wellness check. They should inform the police about the possible foreclosure of a dementia patient, as this will better enable them to receive any care they may need. Any known family members must also be informed.
Alternatively, or additionally, they can request that the Broward County Council of Aging, or an appropriate local agency, refer the case to a professional. The Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 support hotline at 800-272-3900 is also an excellent resource. […]

Wellness Checks for Dementia: Police and Mental Illness
Dementia and Alzheimers Disease

Wellness Checks for Dementia: Police and Mental Illness

07/19/2023 Bruce Strom 6

I joke with the members of my over-55 community that if one of our elderly neighbors is ornery, that we should be patient with them, as they may suffering from dementia, and we do not know it. This is literally true. While you can often sense if someone is autistic, or has a drug problem, or is schizophrenic, often you cannot tell if someone is in the early stages of dementia. […]

Dementia and Foreclosure Story SMALL
Dementia and Alzheimers Disease

How I Halted Foreclosure on Owner With Advanced Dementia, Reflecting on Dementia

05/05/2023 Bruce Strom 11

There are brain scans and other tests that doctors can run to confirm the existence of dementia in the elderly who appear to be misbehaving and are an irritation to the community. These diagnoses are not solely dependent on judgmental observations of behavior, though this is a secondary indication. If someone is behaving strangely, have them tested, don’t just assume that they are in full control of their actions. […]