A 71-year-old Norwalk man with Alzheimer’s disease was promptly located after being reported missing Tuesday using a special bracelet provided by Los Angeles County’s LA Found program.
The man, whose name is Richard, wandered away from his home in the early afternoon. Luckily, officials said, he was wearing a Project Lifesaver bracelet provided to him by the county in late June. The bracelet sends out a signal on a radio frequency which can be tracked to its location by sheriff’s deputies using a special receiver.
After Richard’s family reported him missing, a Mental Evaluation Team from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was sent to the area and was able to locate him in less than an hour.
“Richard was found quickly and safely thanks to LA Found and the good work of our Sheriff’s Department MET team,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “If you have a loved one who has Alzheimer’s, autism, dementia, or another cognitive impairment, please consider enrolling them in LA Found.”
Officials said it was the ninth successful save for the LA Found program since it began in September 2018.