Native Americans have higher dementia risk. This ‘Wandering Toolkit’ aims to help tribal elders

Native Americans are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias than white or Asian Americans. And because tribal members are already at risk of being murdered or going missing, it means having culturally sensitive resources for when elders — who are revered as cultural knowledge keepers — stray from home.

Megan Dicken is from the United Houma Nation in Louisiana and with the nonprofit International Association for Indigenous Aging. Dicken recently presented a new toolkit which aims to help when Native elders wander.

“It’s very customizable,” said Dicken, who is a public health and aging associate. “And so every community can utilize it in a way that suits them, and we encourage that.”

Dicken says tribal police departments are often the first responders.

“But a lot of times, law enforcement is stretched thin,” she admitted. ”They don’t have enough officers, or they don’t have enough resources, or they have other crimes happening, so it can aid in community policing.”

The International Association for Indigenous Aging states that 80% of people with dementia will wander from home multiple times — while 90% may die if they are not found within 24 hours.

“When they pass on, a lot of times, that knowledge disappears,” Dicken added,” and we certainly don’t want that to die with them prematurely, because they went wandering and were not found in time.”