Health officials: Watch, talk to senior citizens to help them

TIFTON, Ga. (WALB) - After several senior citizens have gone missing, and even died in the last month, you’re urged to check on the elderly people around you. Often, they’re alone but no one knows.

Buffy Hankinson, program director of the Alzheimer’s Association in Tifton, said there are warning signs senior citizens may show if they are in need of help.

She said senior citizens often live alone, have little to no transportation and have no family nearby.

“Some things to look for is looking and actually engage with that person if they are elderly and having a conversation, are you okay? Where are you heading? What can I do for you? And you can usually tell with that, (there) may be something going on, if you are concerned just simply call 911,” Hankinson said.

Leroy Rogers Senior Center specializes in helping and checking on those that are elderly by taking notes of changes they may see in their program and reporting them to a doctor.

Center Director Fran Kinchen-Moss said noticing how they live every day may show signs of memory loss or confusion.

“It’s very important because our seniors, they go through changes as they get older. Memory loss is number one, not eating properly and most of them are home alone,” Kinchen-Moss said.

Health officials said to be aware and be cognitive of what senior citizens are asking and looking for try to reach them in their world and in their reality.

Seven out of 10 people who have dementia often wander off and experience memory loss.