Elopement & Wandering in Florida Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Group Homes, &
Adult Day Care Centers

What is Elopement?

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Elopement refers to a dangerous situation where a resident is able to wander away from a nursing home, assisted living facility, group home, or adult day care center without supervision. This often leads to serious injury or death, especially for individuals with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or other cognitive impairments.

Elopment typically occurs when the facility:

• fails to properly assess a resident for elopement risk,

• fails to implement or follow a care plan for elopement or wandering,

• fails to properly supervise the resident,

• fails to maintain appropriate security measures (e.g., door alarms, secured exits, etc.),

• fails to implement elopement policies and procedures,

• fails to train staff, or

• fails to maintain adequate staffing levels.

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Why Do Elderly Individuals Elope?

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Every situation is different, but there are common patterns. In some instances, those with mental illness elope because they believe they need to go to work, visit a friend or family member, or feed an animal that might not exist. Other times, they hear noises they are either drawn to (a police siren) or wish to escape from (a door alarm). These individuals might also elope because they are being abused and/or neglected at the facility and cannot voice their concerns.

The Dangers of Elopement

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When a resident goes missing from a nursing home, assisted living facility, group home, or adult day care center, the outcome often depends on:

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• How long it takes staff to realize the resident is gone

• How far the resident is able to travel

• What risks the resident encounters while away (e.g., roads, bodies of water, bad weather, dehydration, malnutrition, medication lapses)

• Whether the resident becomes injured, assaulted, or lost

• Who the resident may encounter (including strangers or law enforcement)

Elopement can quickly become life-threatening, especially when the individual is frail, cognitively impaired, or medically dependent.

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These Events Are Preventable

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Facilities are required to implement elopement prevention protocols and assess each resident’s risk level. This includes using door alarms, regularly updating care plans, training staff, and supervising at-risk residents closely. When a facility fails to take these steps, and a resident is injured—or worse—there may be grounds for a legal claim.

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Contact FIDJ for a Free Case Review

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If your loved one eloped from a nursing home, assisted living facility, group home, or adult day care center and sustained injuries, including death, contact the experienced attorneys at FIDJ for a FREE case review.