Safe & Sound is a Portage County program to ensure the safety of adult community members who require supervision due to cognitive disabilities or progressive illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.
Due to impaired judgment and cognitive abilities, these individuals have the potential to become disoriented and to place themselves in danger by wandering away from their home or those responsible for their care.
In collaboration with the Safe Return Program of the National Alzheimer's Association, Safe & Sound helps law enforcement officials to locate or identify individuals who may be confused and disoriented so they may be returned to their loved ones and familiar surroundings as quickly as possible.
In the event of an emergency involving one's caregiver, Safe & Sound helps to ensure the safety of the care receiver. Caregiver identification is provided to alert emergency responders that the injured person is responsible for the care of another. Law enforcement can then follow up with emergency contacts provided during program registration.
Due to impaired judgment and cognitive abilities, these individuals have the potential to become disoriented and to place themselves in danger by wandering away from their home or those responsible for their care.
In collaboration with the Safe Return Program of the National Alzheimer's Association, Safe & Sound helps law enforcement officials to locate or identify individuals who may be confused and disoriented so they may be returned to their loved ones and familiar surroundings as quickly as possible.
In the event of an emergency involving one's caregiver, Safe & Sound helps to ensure the safety of the care receiver. Caregiver identification is provided to alert emergency responders that the injured person is responsible for the care of another. Law enforcement can then follow up with emergency contacts provided during program registration.
How Safe & Sound Works
Information about program participants is incorporated into a searchable database available to law enforcement.
When law enforcement receives a call indicating that an individual has wandered away, they can access a picture and critical information needed to begin searching for the person in the area he or she was last seen or is likely to go.
Law enforcement also has the ability to search the database by hair color, eye, color, gender, etc. in order to identify individuals who turn up in unexpected places and are reported by concerned community members.
In the event of an emergency involving a caregiver, law enforcement can quickly access information about the care receiver and notify emergency contacts of the situation.
A volunteer contacts participants or their families each year to ensure that the information available to law enforcement is accurate and up to date.
Information Requested
BASIC information about the program participant such as name, address, phone number, date of birth, height, weight, eye color, hair color,and gender.
SPECIFIC information that may help to identify the program participant. This includes such information as whether the individual typically wears glasses or identifying jewelry; whether the individual has a birth mark or tattoo, etc.
INSTRUCTIONAL information such as who to contact and in what order; how to best approach the individual if she or he seems confused or disoriented; medical information that might be helpful; etc.
ADDITIONAL information that may help locate an individual. For example, the types of things that have historically attracted the person's attention: animals,
small children, trains, music, etc.
Who Can Register?
Any Portage County resident who:
Is age 18 or older, and
Has a cognitive disability or memory impairment.
With appropriate documentation, the Guardian or Activated Power of Attorney for Health Care for a person who meets the above criteria may register the person for whom they are the appointed decision-maker.
How To Register
Call the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Portage County at 715-346-1401 to tell staff you are interested.
Meet with a Safe & Sound program volunteer. This person will help you complete a registration form, take a digital photograph of the person who is registering for Safe & Sound, and answer any questions you have about the program.
Safe & Sound is offered as a public service. There is no fee to register. Pending the availability of funds, participants and families may be asked to contribute toward the cost of identifying jewelry or clothing labels.
Safe & Sound is a collaborative effort on the part of these organizations:
Aging & Disability Resource Center of Portage County
Community Care of Portage County
Portage County Sheriff 's Department
Safe Return Alzheimer's Association
Stevens Point Police Department
Village of Plover Police Department
For more information or to register, please call: 715-346-1401 or 1-800-586-5055.
Information about program participants is incorporated into a searchable database available to law enforcement.
When law enforcement receives a call indicating that an individual has wandered away, they can access a picture and critical information needed to begin searching for the person in the area he or she was last seen or is likely to go.
Law enforcement also has the ability to search the database by hair color, eye, color, gender, etc. in order to identify individuals who turn up in unexpected places and are reported by concerned community members.
In the event of an emergency involving a caregiver, law enforcement can quickly access information about the care receiver and notify emergency contacts of the situation.
A volunteer contacts participants or their families each year to ensure that the information available to law enforcement is accurate and up to date.
Information Requested
BASIC information about the program participant such as name, address, phone number, date of birth, height, weight, eye color, hair color,and gender.
SPECIFIC information that may help to identify the program participant. This includes such information as whether the individual typically wears glasses or identifying jewelry; whether the individual has a birth mark or tattoo, etc.
INSTRUCTIONAL information such as who to contact and in what order; how to best approach the individual if she or he seems confused or disoriented; medical information that might be helpful; etc.
ADDITIONAL information that may help locate an individual. For example, the types of things that have historically attracted the person's attention: animals,
small children, trains, music, etc.
Who Can Register?
Any Portage County resident who:
Is age 18 or older, and
Has a cognitive disability or memory impairment.
With appropriate documentation, the Guardian or Activated Power of Attorney for Health Care for a person who meets the above criteria may register the person for whom they are the appointed decision-maker.
How To Register
Call the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Portage County at 715-346-1401 to tell staff you are interested.
Meet with a Safe & Sound program volunteer. This person will help you complete a registration form, take a digital photograph of the person who is registering for Safe & Sound, and answer any questions you have about the program.
Safe & Sound is offered as a public service. There is no fee to register. Pending the availability of funds, participants and families may be asked to contribute toward the cost of identifying jewelry or clothing labels.
Safe & Sound is a collaborative effort on the part of these organizations:
Aging & Disability Resource Center of Portage County
Community Care of Portage County
Portage County Sheriff 's Department
Safe Return Alzheimer's Association
Stevens Point Police Department
Village of Plover Police Department
For more information or to register, please call: 715-346-1401 or 1-800-586-5055.
