Florida Today quotes USF College of Nursing’s Dr. Meredeth Rowe on research about Alzheimer’s disease

Florida Today quoted in an article USF College of Nursing’s Professor and Endowed Chair, Meredeth Rowe, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA for her Alzheimer’s disease expertise and her involvement in the search for missing 91-year-old woman from Titusville, Fla. who disappeared from her home and was never found. Lottie Wise, who left home and never returned, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

“We were out searching for hours, hiking, looking in open woods, private properties, but we never found her,” Dr. Rowe said. “Findings from our research show that if individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s go missing and are not found within 24 hours, then the majority of them seclude themselves within one mile radius of the place last seen.”

Dr. Rowe is nationally known for her work and research with people with cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s disease or autism.

Her work about the caregiving challenges led to the development of the AlzAlert™ monitoring system, which can be used to manage nighttime activity, reducing injuries and giving the caregiver peace of mind.

“This AlzAlert™ system would help caregivers who have to care for personal and household needs and leave their loved ones walk out of the front door and never be found,” Dr. Rowe said.

For more information contact Dr. Meredith Rowe at mrowe1@health.usf.edu or call at (813) 396-9072.

To read full story visit FloridaToday.com at “5 years later, family and friends wonder: what happened to Lottie Wise?”