Why do so many dementia sufferers wander? Why is this behavior so perilous?
What steps should you take if you suspect a neighbor has dementia?
Can a condominium association legally, ethically, and morally foreclose on an owner suffering from dementia who has no family and no legal representation?
YouTube video for this blog: https://youtu.be/aZMgG1YzpD0
HOW SHOULD CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS FORECLOSE ON OWNERS SUFFERING FROM DEMENTIA?
When I was Treasurer of my over-55 condominium association, one day there was a meeting where we discussed whether to foreclose on Robert, a problem resident who had been in and out of collections for his maintenance fees for over a decade, who was constantly harassing his neighbors and staff, and who had the police called many times for domestic disputes with his alcoholic girlfriend. Everyone was fed up with his demented behavior; everyone wanted him out, but a neighbor warned us that there might be something wrong with him, that he might indeed have dementia.
What to do? I knew nothing about dementia. I noticed a business card for Mercy and her guardianship service posted to our association office bulletin board, but to this day, nobody knows how it got there.
So, I called Mercy to educate myself on dementia for future incidents. She asks me if we have any current dementia sufferers, and I respond that we possibly did, but this was Tuesday, and the foreclosure was scheduled with the court on Friday.
Mercy panicked! She cared! She responded: “We have time! We have three days!”
We both visited him on Wednesday, and after some time and many knocks, fortunately, he answered the door; he was not wandering that day. Fortunately, as his money ran out, his alcoholic ex-girlfriend was nowhere to be found. But his mind was totally gone: he had no clue he was behind in his maintenance payments, he had no clue that foreclosure was impending, or even what that meant. His dementia was advanced: he was looney as a tune.
The condominium wars that ensued after I convinced our attorney to halt the foreclosure immediately are explored in another reflection. Since he had no family, I testified in his court guardianship hearing that he was unable to care for himself. Since we had no pressure, the guardian was able to admit him to a lockdown facility where they didn’t drug up their patients to guarantee compliance.
How I Halted a Foreclosure on a Destitute Owner with Advanced Dementia! We Discuss Dementia
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/how-i-halted-foreclosure-on-owner-with-advanced-dementia-reflecting-on-dementia/
https://youtu.be/_uAJPCCRNQ8
What would have happened if the foreclosure for Robert had proceeded?[1] Our attorney assured us that someone with dementia would not face foreclosure, and the system failed Robert. Robert received numerous notifications before his foreclosure: notifications from the condominium association, from the association attorney, and from the court system. But since he suffered from dementia, he did not understand what these communications meant, if he even opened his mail, and was totally unaware of his impending foreclosure, and was clueless about what foreclosure means.
Likely, he would have been evicted after the foreclosure, which would have involved the police. Florida has passed legislation encouraging police departments to incorporate dementia and autism topics in their continuing education and training, although it is not mandatory.[2] The Sunrise, Florida Police Department has been proactive in addressing the mental health concerns of their citizens, hiring several social workers to assist the patrolmen when dealing with the demented, autistic, and mentally ill citizens. We consult with these police social workers before we call the police to do a health and wellness check for our owners whom we suspect may suffer from dementia or mental illness.
Police Chief Daniel Ransone on Policing & Mental Health, Sunrise Rotary, May 2025
https://youtu.be/OsBZ6FnotxE
What if he lived in a jurisdiction where the police department had refused to implement a CIT training program which included dementia? What if an older police officer set in his ways had responded to the call? What if the policeman doesn’t realize that the person being evicted was suffering from dementia? Many sufferers can effectively mask their dementia under stress.
On homicide week in our local Community Police Academy, the police instructor showed us the ghoulish face of a dementia patient found face down in a canal. The officer made a revealing comment: that for some strange reason, dementia patients have a strange attraction to water, and that several have drowned.
Robert may not have been aware that he now has money in his bank account from the foreclosure, but even if he did withdraw money continuously, where would he go? Would he know to go to a hotel? How would he get there, without a car? Would Robert know how to beg? If Robert had wandered into a restaurant with no money, would he have been thrown out?
Wanderers are tired, they are hungry, they are thirsty, so sometimes they stumble upon a canal or a ditch. They try to drink, but then if they stumble, they could fall in, pass out, and drown.
Would this be as rare as exploding Pinto gas tanks? In the Seventies, Ford engineers warned management that out of the millions of Pintos they would sell, they estimated that several thousand would explode in a rear-end collision, since the gas tank was mounted in the rear of the car. Management reasoned that other subcompact cars had the same problem, and that it would be more profitable to pay the claims than change the design of the car. But when these communications came to light, it was great television. When the Pinto gas tanks exploded on television, Ford’s public reputation tanked.[3] This inattention to the needs suffering from dementia does indeed cost lives.
MOST ALZHEIMERS PATIENTS WANDER
Dementia wandering is not a danger limited to foreclosure. The Alzheimer’s Association indicates that about sixty percent of dementia sufferers wander.[4] Why are many wanderers drawn to water? Often they are thirsty, often they are attracted by the reflection on the water. Also, many autistic patients are wanderers.
How can families cope with their loved ones who wander? The Sunrise, Florida Police Department has partnered with AngleSense to provide an advanced locating device for people with cognitive disorders. AngelSense is designed for individuals with autism, special needs, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. It includes an AI-powered monitoring and alerting system with an app for multiple caregivers, a device with an auto-pickup speakerphone, and live GPS tracking capabilities that can be shared with first responders. This is free for residents of Sunrise: please call 954-746-3614 or email Core@Sunrisefl.gov.[5] Other municipalities have similar programs.
There is also a MedicAlert+ Safe Return program that coordinates with law enforcement when a person has wandered. Patients are given a medical bracelet to wear after they are enrolled in the program. Please call 800-432-5378 for more information.[6] Many states support Silver Alert, an emergency program to help find missing seniors.[7]
Wandering is life-threatening for dementia sufferers. Robert Koester, PhD, has participated in hundreds of searches. He specializes in researching why autism and dementia sufferers so often wander.[8] He reveals that one in four dementia wanderers will lose their lives if they are not found within twenty-four hours, or less in hot or rainy conditions. Since dementia wanderers are not aware they are lost, they will not cry out, they will not ask for help or directions, and they may not respond to shouts. They often walk until they get stuck in shrubbery or possibly drown in ditches or canals.
Koester advises us on what to do when encountering a wandering dementia sufferer: “Approach him from the front. Make eye contact. Non-verbal body language is critical for dementia subjects. After assessing safety, slowly move to the subject’s side. Speak slowly and in simple, concrete terms. Break down commands, questions, and directions into simple, easy-to-follow components. Touching, when appropriate, is helpful. Arguing with a person with dementia is pointless and may lead to a catastrophic reaction. Instead, redirect the person with a new line of reasoning. Telling the person that a favorite person or thing is waiting for him back at base may be acceptable. Keep in mind” that he may suffer “other impairments associated with age, such as decreased vision, hearing, and walking ability.”[9]
As Koester says in a recent NPR article “that in the moderate to severe cases, the pattern is random. Many patients seem to respond to circadian rhythms. At the end of the day and in the evening,” patients suffer from ‘sundowning,’ when “people exhibit all sorts of difficult behavior, Koester says, such as anger and stubbornness.”
“Occasionally, people will leave and not return. Professionals call this ‘elopement.’ That can pose added dangers. Most people are found in a closet, or at the end of a suburban street, or in the mud, in thick woods, near a lake.”
“Certainly,” Koester says, “I find most people alive.” And when he does, the people are usually nonchalant about the event. “Often there is no real acknowledgment that they have been out overnight,” and that their lives were in danger. “Time flies when you’re wandering.”[10]
If your loved one has Alzheimer’s and they wander, call the police immediately, do not wait, their life may be at risk.
SHOULD CAM AND BOARD MEMBER TRAINING BE ENHANCED?
The biggest objection property managers and association boards raised against performing health and wellness checks on their owners and residents is that 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.
Wellness Checks for Dementia: Police and Mental Illness
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/wellness-checks-for-dementia-police-and-mental-illness/
https://youtu.be/z_SlPLARCxU
Alternatively, or additionally, in Broward County, Florida, you can inform the Broward County Council of Aging,[11] or an appropriate local agency, so they can refer the case to a professional. The Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 support hotline at 800-272-3900 is also an excellent resource.[12] Condominium associations can also refer any demented owners or residents to Legal Aid so they can assign a pro-bono attorney to their case. [13] Legally, ethically, and morally, you should not initiate legal actions against a legally incompetent person. But if an attorney represents them, then the association board has someone they can negotiate with. Attorneys can also initiate guardianship proceeding for dementia sufferers who have no concerned family. In many counties, you can also refer them to the mental health court.[14]
These referrals can also be made when an elderly owner or resident is behaving strangely, or is threatening his neighbors, or is physically aggressive, or whose behavior is sexually inappropriate. Even when they have a history of these sorts of complaints, they may be suffering from dementia. As dementia advances, often existing behavior becomes more pronounced. One caveat is that many Alzheimer’s patients may lash out from frustration, or simply because they have not eaten, have not slept, or have a urinary tract infection or other medical condition. They are seldom comfortable.[15]
Some association attorneys may imagine that doing this would somehow increase the legal liability of the condominium association. The reverse is actually true; when you act in a manner adverse to the welfare of your owners or residents, you are creating rather than avoiding potential legal problems.
The old saying is true: You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. But if you insist on leading your horse to water, he is more likely to drink. Likewise, you cannot legislate compassion. But you can certainly legislate that people be educated to encourage their compassion.
How would this work for condominium associations? Simply require that as part of their licensing and continuing education, property managers and board members be instructed on mental health issues of their owners and residents, including dementia, autism, and schizophrenia. This education only needs to cover the basics of mental health conditions they will encounter, and most importantly, who they should call for assistance.
This would encourage property managers and board members to follow the law. Legally, ethically, and morally, those owners and residents suffering from dementia lack the competency to represent themselves in legal proceedings, which is what a foreclosure is.
If the board members and property managers do not treat their owners or residents suffering from dementia with compassion, they are assuming that the police will do their job, which they usually do. But if they don’t, and on rare occasions they do not, because they are human and fallible, they literally risk that the foreclosed dementia sufferers will wander around for a few days until they drown in a ditch or a canal.
Are we our brother’s keeper? Morally, this question was settled long ago in Genesis. Unfortunately, or fortunately, after the untimely demise of Abel, his brother Cain asked the Lord this question. The Lord informed Cain that indeed, unfortunately, or fortunately, he was his brother’s keeper.[16] We are all our brother’s keeper.
[1] https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/florida-foreclosure-laws-procedures.html
[2] https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/fcjei/online-mandatory-retraining
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Pinto
[4] https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/stages-behaviors/wandering and https://cicoa.org/water-safety-essential-tips-for-caregivers/
[5] https://www.sunrisefl.gov/departments-services/police/community-policing
[6] https://www.medicalert.org/safe-found-dementia/
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Alert
[8] https://www.dbs-sar.com/bio.htm
[9] https://www.dbs-sar.com/LPB/Dementia.pdf, excerpted or summarized from: Robert J Koester, Lost Person Behavior: A Search and Rescue Guide on Where to Look – for Land, Air, and Water, 2008.
[10] https://www.npr.org/2009/06/29/105895470/the-mysteries-of-dementia-driven-wandering
[11] https://www.adrcbroward.org/alzheimers-disease-services
[12] https://www.alz.org/help-support/resources/helpline
[13] https://www.browardlegalaid.org/
[14] https://www.17th.flcourts.org/11-mental-health-county-court/
[15] https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/stages-behaviors/aggression-and-anger
[16] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%204%3A8-11&version=NRSVCE
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