Seniors often live alone in the winter of their life. For some, they have no children or relatives that live near them. Adult children try their best to manage the needs of a parent from afar. If your parent has dementia and begins to wander or get lost, you can be ready to help first responders by having a current picture of your parent, their car, and the license plate on your phone. You then can share this vital information accurately with the police in the stress of the moment.
Another tip is to provide your parent with an iPad, or similar device, and teach them how to Zoom or FaceTime before the healthcare crisis hits. This way if your loved one becomes hospitalized, or goes to an inpatient rehab facility, you can communicate with them remotely in the event of a lock down. I predict that a distinguishing factor for a family choosing one facility over another will be the nature and quality of the internet set up.