Police concern over Elderly Citizens wandering off from their homes

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 26 JUNE 2023: Police have strongly advised carers and children of elderly citizens to accompany them at all times as some senior citizens have been reported missing as they wandered off without their families knowing.

In the latest case, police picked up an elderly man from the Apia Park Stadium after a security guard at the park contacted police.

He was brought into the police headquarters in Apia where he was fed before police questioned him where the officer suspected he was lost and had difficulty remembering where he was.

The officer then took a photo of the elderly man and posted it on social media in the hope someone would respond with some information.

The man’s family responded and came to the office soon after.

According to police information, the elderly couple are from close to the Faleolo Airport and they came to Apia to withdraw their pensions last Monday and while the wife attended to their business, the man waited outside.

However, when the wife returned, she could not locate her husband and thought that he must have returned home so she too left for home.

The man was only found on Tuesday night when police posted his photo on social media.

The police have advised the carers to have someone accompany their elderly parents when they leave home to travel far to avoid instances as the elderly man who was found at the Apia Park Stadium over twenty four hours later.