Herbert Protocol – you NEED to know about this

Just seen this and I think it’s a brilliant idea! Please check this out if you have a loved one that would be considered as vulnerable (especially with dementia), and maybe a bit of a walker!

I have in the last 3 days seen at least 3 different news articles about men with dementia that have gone missing and it’s so important to be sensible and prepare for these kinds of instances.

As my father still has some independence, and how his diagnoses came about when he went missing for a night. I will certainly be filling one of these out and sending it to his Home.


-Why is it called the Herbet protocol?

It’s called the Herbet protocol after a war veteran George Herbert. I tried to find out more information about him but it looks like he died while tried to look for his childhood home. And the exact reason to have something like this set in place, and what a way to honour him having this protocol named after him.

 

-What it includes

Background information about name, do they have a GSP tracker?
Physical description
Medical history
Life history such as favourite places and tracks to walk, how they like to travel and how well they can walk etc. 
Family info and contact details
Missing now section for when/if they do go missing

It also says to include an up to date photo which is a very good point. I only say this because there is hardly any photos of me and my Dad before his diagnoses.  Make sure you make record of the times you have together and have a recent photo not one of them looking 10 years younger. Both for them and for you.

 
-Why does it matter?

The stresses of trying to think of everything in the heat of the moment is a real thing. The accompanying information and documents do say ‘It can be completed in slow-time’ meaning we should take our time to fill it out to its most complete.

It is the most heart-wrenching experience to realise your love one is lost and couldn’t have any idea where they are, what they are doing or how to get safe. Anything we can do to be prepared is helpful and necessary.

 

-Reservations about the whole thing?

Will it even work? Can it be given out too soon?

Can it be given out too soon? Can it be called too soon that he is missing?

Can it be called too soon that he is missing? Should we call him missing once we have looked in the usual places?

Should we call him missing once we have looked in the usual places?

How far should we look and how long a time when they clearly missing? My fear is maybe the home with this information may be premature?

My fear is maybe the home with this information may be premature?

Personally, I would want to be known straight away as probably one of the only other person who goes out wandering with him and knowing where he likes to go. What I wouldn’t want is the home to take it to there own hands as there might be light I can shed. But then again I guess this is why this is in place and so important to be filled out!

 

To see the official post by the Met Police with further information and the copy of the document for you to fill out yourself see below:
https://beta.met.police.uk/notices/herbert-protocol/

1 Comment

  1. Lindsay
    15th August 2017 / 8:14 am

    Such an amazing initiative – and so needed!

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