Register today so you’ll know help is at hand

Safely Home is a nation-wide program, and in British Columbia the service is combined with the BC Photo Registry – registering once enrols you in both programs. Signing up is voluntary.

For a one-time fee of $35, the Alzheimer Society provides:

  • an identification bracelet
  • a Caregiver Handbook
  • identification cards
  • updates to the member's file as often as they are provided by the caregivers or the member.

BC Photo Registry gives police in all areas of our province immediate access to a photograph and information about the registrant through a secure website that is accessible only to police.

The photograph allows police to identify a registrant even if they are not wearing their Safely Home identification bracelet. When a person with dementia goes missing, police have the option of printing a “Missing Person” poster to assist in the search and, if deemed necessary, to release it to the media.

We also strongly recommend you always keep a recent photo on hand.

If the time comes when wandering becomes a worry, you will have the comfort of knowing that help is at hand. Planning ahead now can make it easier to manage a difficult situation later.

Click here to download a registration form

You can also pick-up a registration form from your local Alzheimer Resource Centre.

Why should I register?

Changes in the brain can lead a person with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia to become confused in a familiar places, and forget the way to get safely home. This behaviour is sometimes called wandering.

Wandering refers to the need to keep on the move, often seen in people with Alzheimer's disease.

  • The behaviour may appear to be aimless or confused but it is often quite focused.
  • Often, the focus may be the individual with dementia trying to get to a particular destination or accomplish a task.
  • Wandering may occur at any time of the day or night, and may take the person out of the home.
  • Wandering outdoors can expose the person to such dangers as traffic or extreme weather conditions.

Registering yourself or your loved one with Safely Home & BC Photo Registry can help bring you both peace of mind. 

Please click here for more information on wandering.

 

Important Note:

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is connecting with all of BC’s municipal police and RCMP detachments and training them on how to access the Registry database. Please complete the registration form and process as directed, but note that the police/RCMP in your area may not have been trained yet. We advise you to always carry an up-to-date photograph and physical description of the registrant.

 Click here for police access

About Wandering Behaviour

For more information about wandering behaviour and how to reduce the risk of wandering, visit the wandering section of our website.

Download a Safely Home & BC Photo Registry registration form.