“For that one, we called two fire departments, we got four-wheelers and the Vandalia Division of Fire used their drone program,” Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said, noting that the man lived near a wooded area and has a history of wandering.

After hours of searching and an alert to the media, Streck said the man was found safe with a friend.

Finding a missing person is always urgent, the sheriff said, but it becomes even more so when cold weather is in the forecast. Hypothermia and frostbite can be life-threatening, the Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter Program Director Rebecca Hall said, even in 50-degree temperature.

“The first thing, if they are suffering from the disease, that’s life-threatening, especially if they don’t have access to medication,” Streck said. “But, wandering in the roadway and the weather are also huge factors.”

In Auglaize County last week, an 82-year-old man with Alzheimer’s was found dead after he walked away from his home in Wapakoneta. The sheriff there noted weather elements and timing as factors leading to the tragic result.

Six in 10 individuals with the disease will wander at least once, the Alzheimer’s Association said, and many wander more than once. Alzheimer’s can cause people to lose their ability to recognize familiar faces and places, the association said, and people living with dementia becoming lost or confused is common.

And as the disease progresses, wandering risks continue to increase. Hall said even if a loved one with Alzheimer’s hasn’t wandered off in the past, it is still important that precautions are taken.

“It’s important for people to remember it could happen very suddenly,” she said.

The Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter has suggestions and resources for people living with someone with Alzheimer’s on their website.

Some of those tips include watching for signs of wandering like returning from a walk or drive later than usual and talking about former obligations like going to work; reducing wandering risks by identifying the time of day the person is likely to wander and planning activities then, and safeguarding a home by installing bells and pressure-sensitive mats to alert when movement happens.

And the sheriff said if someone does wander off, contacting law enforcement as soon as possible can save a life.

“It’s best to get resources in the area as quickly as we can,” Streck said. “The quicker we can get there on foot, the closer they are to where they wandered off and it helps with the search area.”

Reduce wandering tips

-- Watch for signs when they return from a walk or drive later than usual.

-- Watch for signs when they talk about former obligations like going to work.

-- Identify the time of day the person is likely to wander and planning activities then.

-- Safeguard a home by installing bells and pressure-sensitive mats to alert when movement happens.