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Friday Bummer: Really Long Headways at Fake Bus Stop Keep Alzheimer's Patients From Disappearing

Posted by: Nate Berg
Thanks to: Cate Miller
6 June 2008 - 1:00pm

A senior care facility in Germany teamed with the local transit agency to install a fake bus stop near the home to stem occupant disappearances after Alzheimer's patients repeatedly wandered off site to catch buses at real stops.

"The idea was first tried at Benrath Senior Centre in Düsseldorf, which pitched an exact replica of a standard stop outside, with one small difference: buses do not use it."

"The centre had been forced to rely on police to retrieve patients who wanted to return to their often non-existent homes and families."

"The result is that errant patients now wait for their trip home at the bus stop, before quickly forgetting why they were there in the first place."

"'We will approach them and say that the bus is coming later and invite them in for a coffee,' said Richard Neureither, Benrath's director. 'Five minutes later they have completely forgotten they wanted to leave.'"

Full Story: Fake bus stop keeps Alzheimer's patients from wandering off
Source: Telegraph, June 6, 2008
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