In June 2025, an elderly woman with dementia went missing in a forested area in Natuna, Indonesia, while tending to her plants. Search and rescue (SAR) teams were deployed to locate her.
Such incidents are common among people living with dementia. Often described as ‘exit-seeking’ or ‘wandering’, this occurs because cognitive decline causes memory loss and disorientation.
As their condition progresses, they may struggle to navigate and make sense of their surroundings or feel as though they are in a completely different time or place.
