Every family with a loved one living with dementia, autism, or another cognitive condition knows the fear. It’s the moment you realise someone you love has wandered from home, and they are vulnerable, alone, and at risk.
For many, it’s the nightmare that keeps them awake at night. And tragically, it happens more often than people realise. Research shows that six in ten people with dementia will wander at least once. When it happens, the situation can turn critical in minutes. People may be exposed to traffic, water, bushland, or even just the dangers of being lost without food, water, or medication.
That’s why Safe & Found was created right here in Western Australia. It began as a joint initiative between MedicAlert Foundation and WA Police – a local solution to a growing problem. The idea was simple but powerful: to make sure police already had the most important information at their fingertips before a search even began.
Today, Safe & Found has expanded across to the Northern Territory and Queensland. Its growth is driven by a simple truth: when someone goes missing, Safe & Found can make the difference between life and death.
How Safe & Found Works
Safe & Found combines technology, research, and preparation. Families can create an online profile for their loved one, capturing essential information – photos, medical conditions, favourite places, and behaviours. That information is held securely by MedicAlert, ready to be accessed by police the moment a report is made.
It also uses lost person behaviour, a method built on decades of research into how people with dementia and other conditions typically move, where they are likely to go, and how they may respond if approached. Instead of starting from scratch, police begin a search with a roadmap based on proven patterns.
This preparation saves precious time – time that can save a life.
Real Stories of Impact
For one WA family, Safe & Found proved its worth almost instantly.
“We signed up on a Friday… and needed help that Sunday. When my wife went missing, police already had all the info they needed – she was found in just 9 minutes. I’m so glad we joined when we did. I’d recommend Safe & Found to anyone.”
In moments of crisis, nine minutes can feel like an eternity. But compared to the hours or days it can take without information, it was the difference between relief and heartbreak.
Imagine If…
Imagine if your partner, parent, or child slipped out of the house unnoticed. You discover they’re gone, and panic sets in. You call the police – but they have no photo, no idea of your loved one’s medical needs, no sense of their habits or likely destinations. The search begins slowly, in the wrong places.
Now imagine a different scenario. You call police, and within minutes they have access to a detailed Safe & Found profile. They know your loved one’s face, their favourite walking routes, how they might react if approached, and whether they need urgent medication. Officers are searching the right areas straight away, guided by lost person behaviour and real data.
The difference between those two scenarios is the difference Safe & Found makes every single day.
The Numbers Tell the Story (last updated Jul 25’)
The numbers are powerful because they represent people – mothers, fathers, grandparents and children – who made it home safe.
- 50 successful searches this year alone. That’s 50 families who might otherwise have been preparing for the worst.
- That brings the total to 235 lives saved since Safe & Found began in WA.
- In 2024, there were 235 dementia-related searches. This year, there have already been 137 dementia searches, and the year isn’t over yet.
- And behind every safe return is a force of trained responders: 9,089 WA Police staff who have completed Safe & Found training, ensuring they’re ready the moment a call comes through.
Without Safe & Found, many of those 235 people may never have made it home.
Why It Matters in WA
Western Australia is where Safe & Found began, and where its impact is most deeply felt. With vast landscapes, harsh conditions, and communities spread across great distances, the risks when someone goes missing are even higher here than in more densely populated regions. Safe & Found equips police and families with the tools they need to respond immediately and effectively.
It’s not just a service – it’s a lifeline. One that families hope they’ll never need but are grateful for when the unthinkable happens.
A Lifeline Worth Expanding
What started in WA is now saving lives across NT and QLD. Its reach will only continue to grow, because the problem of wandering is not limited by borders. Dementia, autism, and cognitive conditions touch families everywhere.
Safe & Found is proof that preparation saves lives, and that innovation born in WA is making Australia safer.
Because when someone you love goes missing, nothing matters more than bringing them home safe.
Register: https://www.safeandfound.org.au/
