Alzheimer's Disease - Alz·hei·mer's disease ('älts-"hI-m&rz-)

What was supposed to be a relaxing visit to his daughter’s new house during the President’s Day Weekend, turned into an adventure for the Newell family from Clearwater, FL.

Larry Newell, 72, and his wife were visiting their daughter’s home in Miramar, FL, when one night Larry got up in the middle of the night and left the house. He had no knowledge of the area, his daughter’s name or her new address.

“I don’t know how long he was gone, he just woke up and left,” said Mabel Newell, Larry’s wife of 50 years. “I don’t know what made him decide to get up and go out for a walk.”

Mr. Newell has had dementia for about 10 years according to Mrs. Newell, but that was the first time that he ever wandered away. Apparently a bystander saw Mr. Newell walking in the street, clothed, but barefoot and called the local police department. An officer from the Miramar Police Department responded to the call and picked up Mr. Newell. The officer saw he was wearing a MedicAlert necklace and called MedicAlert for further information. Mrs. Newell, who was asleep and unaware of what was happening, received a surprise phone call around 2-3 a.m.

“I was half awake, but when the police dispatcher said they had my husband, I woke up pretty fast,” Mrs. Newell recalled. “I was definitely thankful that Larry has his necklace. MedicAlert is a lifesaver for reuniting us.”

Mr. Newell went back to his daughter’s home later that morning, unharmed. He almost went out again in the middle of the night, the next day, but Mrs. Newell was able to wake up in time and stopped him. They returned to their Clearwater home the following day.

Mr. Newell, a retired former business manager, moved with his wife to Clearwater in 1998 from New Jersey. “He has a routine of walking around his neighborhood in Clearwater without getting lost,” said Mrs. Newell. “I’m only concerned when he’s in unfamiliar areas.”