Caregivers should not wait until they realize that a person with cognitive impairment is lost before they start planning how to assist them. In the early stage of cognitive impairment, the person may still have the ability to go out and recognize the way home on his/her own, but there is a chance that this ability may deteriorate over time. It is recommended that emergency contact information be placed in the elderly's belongings (e.g. wallets, handbags, etc.) as early as possible to help find the elderly as soon as possible in case of loss.
