Los Angeles County is offering free trackable bracelets for people with autism, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia through the LA Found program, inspired by the tragic loss of one resident.
Tuesday, Oct. 15, is LA Found Day in the county, marking the anniversary of the disappearance of a 56-year-old Manhattan Beach woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Nancy Paulikas strayed from her husband, Kirk Moody, and her family during a trip to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on October 15, 2016. Moody searched for his wife for two years with friends, family, neighbors and dozens of volunteers. On December 26, 2018, Paulikas’ remains were found fifteen kilometers away from where she went missing.
County Supervisor Janice Hahn worked with Moody to develop a program to help. The LA Found Program provides free trackable bracelets that can be located using receivers carried on Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopters and designated ground units.
“Since we launched the LA Found program, every person who has gone missing with an LA Found bracelet has been found and returned home,” Hahn said.. “Anyone in LA County who has a loved one with autism, Alzheimer’s or dementia and is prone to wandering should know that LA Found exists and can help you.”
LA Found has provided more than 1,500 trackable devices to residents since 2018 and has successfully located and reunited dozens of missing people with their families or caregivers.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 60% of people with dementia will wander at some point, while a study by the Interactive Autism Network found that nearly half of children with autism engage in wandering behavior.
To learn more about the LA Found program and to request a free bracelet, visit https://ad.lacounty.gov/lafound/.