Elkins, W.Va. — Elkins Rehabilitation & Care Center is showing its support for a local program designed to help locate individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, other cognitive disorders or autism.
ERCC donated $1,200 to Project Lifesaver, a community initiative sponsored by the Randolph County Deputy Sheriff’s Association. The donation will be used to purchase electronic bracelets that will be provided to those with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or people with autism so they can be found if they go missing.
“This is a great program and we’re very happy to be able to participate,” said Tara Shaver, ERCC administrator.
Every year, thousands of people with cognitive disorders or autism go missing. This can be combatted by location bracelets such as those that are purchased by this program.
“We have a memory care unit here at our facility,” Shaver said. “We’re very sympathetic to people who suffer from these disorders.”
Shaver went on to say that the families of people with these disorders suffer greatly when the individual goes missing. When an individual with a cognitive disorder goes missing, it can also trigger a large search operation.
“And sometimes they don’t find the person, which is just such a tragedy,” Shaver said.
ERCC wants to do everything in its power to make sure that people with cognitive disorders or those with autism can be found quickly and safely if they go missing, she added. This is part of the overall effort to help keep people in the community safe and secure, she said.
“If this donation helps police find just one person, then it is well worth it,” Shaver noted.
ERCC is a 111-bed, non-profit, short and long-term skilled and intermediate care and rehabilitation facility located in Elkins, WV. A wide range of care and rehabilitation services is provided at the facility by more than 160 full-time and part-time employees. For more information: http://www.ercc.biz.