Quick-thinking nursing students help bring wandering dementia patient home

Earlier this summer, Melissa Matamoros was driving to class at Jersey College School of Nursing in Ewing when an unexpected encounter put her healthcare training into practice.

Matamoros, a practical nursing student, arrived at the campus parking lot around 6:40 a.m. for her 7 a.m. class when an older man approached her holding a wallet. He showed her his identification photo and asked if they knew each other.

The man appeared disoriented.

Drawing on what she had learned about caring for patients with dementia, Matamoros began asking assessment questions to better understand his condition.

“He told me he was in Korea,” Matamoros recalled. “That’s when I realized something wasn’t right. He was probably around 70 years old. He was well-kept and tidy, wearing a clean shirt and khaki pants, but he couldn’t figure out where he lived.”

At the same time, fellow nursing student Irma Vallieres-Tome noticed Matamoros speaking with the man.

“We all look out for each other,” Vallieres-Tome said.

When Matamoros explained that the man appeared to be lost, the two students escorted him into the school’s lobby, where they gave him a seat and a bottle of water. As more students arrived, they joined the effort to help him.

“We learned through our mental health program to help everyone stay calm when they’re confused,” Vallieres-Tome said. “He didn’t speak English, which made the situation even more challenging.”

The man’s primary language was Korean. The students attempted to communicate with him using a translation app, but it did not work effectively.

They searched his wallet for contact information and called several phone numbers they found but were unable to reach anyone. They then contacted emergency responders and remained with him for approximately 30 to 45 minutes until police and EMS arrived.

“We were sitting with him,” Matamoros said. “I felt bad. He was apologetic about his memory. He kept saying, ‘Sorry.’ We assured him it was alright. He was frustrated.”

Matamoros later learned that police had already issued a missing person alert for the man.

He had left his home around 5 a.m. and had been walking for nearly two hours before arriving at the college. Although he lived only about three minutes from campus, he was unable to find his way home.

“He had dementia, heart issues and diabetes,” Matamoros said. “His blood sugar was higher than what a normal blood glucose should be.”

About a week later, the man’s daughter returned to the campus to thank the students. She brought coffee, doughnuts and a heartfelt note expressing her gratitude for helping reunite her father with his family.

“Melissa is young and had the right instinct,” Vallieres-Tome said. “A lot of people have that instinct to help. You don’t always know exactly what to do.”

The students completed the practical nursing program at the end of June and graduated in July. They are now preparing to take the state licensing examination.

For Vallieres-Tome, 55, nursing represents a second career after spending 25 years working in finance.

“This is something I always loved,” she said. “Now I have the opportunity to get out there and make a difference.”

She believes helping others has always been part of who she is.

“I am, by nature, a fixer. I am a giver. That’s just how I’m wired,” Vallieres-Tome said. “You see someone who needs something, you help in any situation. Hold the door for someone. That’s who I am.”

Matamoros said her passion for nursing also began at home.

Growing up, she watched her father undergo multiple surgeries, while her grandfather lived with dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

“They only spoke Spanish,” she said. “Being around that, they wouldn’t always be treated the same as someone who spoke good English. I want to be an advocate for Spanish-speaking people.”

She also credits her older sister, an EMT, for inspiring her to pursue a healthcare career.

“I found that inspiring,” Matamoros said.

Looking back on the encounter, she is grateful she happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“Who knows what could have happened?” she said. “Especially him showing his wallet to people. Anyone could have taken advantage of the situation.”