A few years ago, a member of our family with Vascular Dementia was in the bank with her husband. In the bank, she whispered to a staff member that she was there against her will and didn’t know the man she was with. The bank questioned her husband, and in the few minutes it took to establish the facts, she walked out of the bank and vanished. Her husband was frantic and had no idea how to find his wife. She wandered around for hours, confused and distressed. She couldn’t find her way home because she couldn’t remember where she lived. Despite the family’s frantic search, it was a number of hours before she wandered into a shop, where a staff member realized she needed help and called the emergency services. Following the missing person’s report, she eventually made it home.

This terrifying experience is one many people have gone through. We have all heard stories on the radio or seen them on the news about how people with memory or health issues have wandered off. They often wander without thinking about changing out of their slippers or putting on a coat and more often than not, leave the house without a purse or wallet, so no identification. They can wander off at any time of day or night, rain or shine.

What can be done to ensure that someone who has dementia, autism, memory, or other health issues is clearly visible as someone who may need help or need more time and patience? How can we encourage people to offer assistance if they see someone who is distressed, confused, possibly lost, and clearly needing help?

This is how our Wrist-Assured (WA) Bracelet was born—creating discreet visibility through simplicity and encouraging community care.