Dubeau creating search-and-rescue manual
Wednesday, December 22, 2004 - Natalie Miller
AURORA -- Willows Estate Administrator Sue Dubeau is taking on the task of developing a search-and-rescue manual to help staff address issues related to residents wandering. Wandering is a symptom of Alzheimer disease.

The Aurora long-term care home leader says the document is something she would like to see developed for her home, and other OMNI homes as well. The manual would serve as a resource for employees, containing information about how to prevent a resident from wandering outside of the home and what to do in an emergency situation.

"That would be my worst nightmare," says Sue, referring to a tragedy at Forest Hill earlier this year.

In February, a resident, sometime during the night, wandered out the back door of the Kanata long-term care home. Two employees found the man at 7 a.m. He was transferred to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Following his death, the 156-bed home met with family members and also developed preventative measures and reviewed policies with all staff members, such as, what defines an emergency and what to do when the Maglocks are down. The Maglock security system malfunctioned the night the man exited the building, Forest Hill said.

Sue says developing the manual is a project she has taken on, on her own initiative. She has been sharing updates with fellow administrators during communities of practice meetings when they all gather.

The administrator says the manual is also important for the Willows because the home does use agency staff in addition to full-time staff. It's important both groups know where to go for that information, Sue says.

As part of the manual, Sue has included a topographical map of York Region and is currently developing the policies and procedures. She has taken her direction from a search and rescue manual developed by an eastern Ontario task force, comprised of long-term care providers and representatives from the Ontario Provincial Police and the Alzheimer Society of Cornwall and District.

That task force created an emergency search-and-rescue plan to standardize procedures for residents who go missing from long-term care facilities in five eastern counties of the province. To read more about that project, click here.

Sue says completing her manual will be a goal for 2005.