McAllen Senior AdvisorWhat should we do the first time a parent with dementia wanders?
Make the home safer the same day: add door alarms or chimes, put a medical ID with a phone number on the parent, tell neighbors, keep a recent photo ready, and make sure someone can respond at night.
If a parent goes missing, call 911 right away; do not wait. Wandering often happens in the late afternoon or at night and is frequently a search for a familiar place, such as a former home, a workplace or a church. Note where your parent tries to go; it helps searchers and caregivers.
Can a parent who wanders stay at home in the Valley?
Sometimes, with supervision around the clock: family at night, an adult day center on weekdays, and attendants to fill the gaps, but once exit-seeking is frequent or the parent cannot be redirected, a certified Alzheimer's unit or a nursing home is usually safer.
Adult day centers in Hidalgo County serve many participants with dementia. Ask a center how it handles exit-seeking and what its staff-to-participant ratio is in the afternoon.
Which McAllen-area buildings are certified for Alzheimer's care?
In Hidalgo County, 4 licensed assisted living facilities hold HHSC Alzheimer's certification, for 132 places in all, in Edinburg, Mission, Pharr.
Texas allows only certified Type B buildings or units to advertise specialized Alzheimer's care, so check the certificate in HHSC's directory. The Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home in McAllen also reports 60 Alzheimer's beds for eligible veterans and spouses. See the memory care roster.
What if there is no opening in a certified unit nearby?
Families in the Valley often widen the search to certified units in other Hidalgo County cities, consider a nursing home with dementia experience, or look north to larger markets, while keeping the parent safe at home with added supervision in the meantime.
Put your name on more than one waiting list, and ask each building how often openings come up. A local advisor can check current availability across the county at no cost to you.
Where can a Valley caregiver get dementia support?
The Area Agency on Aging of the Lower Rio Grande Valley offers caregiver support coordination and caregiver information at (956) 682-3481, adult day centers across Hidalgo County serve participants with dementia, and the VA has caregiver programs for veterans with dementia.
Ask your parent's doctor about a referral to a neurologist or geriatric specialist, and about medications that may help with sleep or agitation. A short respite stay or extra attendant hours can give a worn-out caregiver a break while longer-term plans are made.
Sources: Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 247 and 242; 26 TAC chapters 553, 554, 558 and 559; HHSC directories, TULIP and handbooks; CMS; CareScout; VA rate tables, as cited above. See our editorial standards.
