Resident urges reports to state after family member with dementia wandered

A resident told the Lebanon City Council at a special December meeting that her then‑73‑year‑old stepmother repeatedly wandered from home, prompting police responses and a later competency evaluation that led to commitment to a secure memory facility. “People have to make reports or things aren’t gonna change,” the resident said.

The speaker said the stepmother had entered a neighbor’s home and returned with large bags of aluminum cans, and that police had brought her home on at least one occasion. The resident also described incidents in which the woman scattered birdseed along a county highway; the resident said conservation police visited and noted that placing food for deer is illegal in Illinois because it can promote the spread of wasting disease.

The resident said she and the family reported multiple episodes to the son who held power of attorney; after a competency evaluation the woman “fairly obviously” failed and was placed in a memory care facility. The speaker urged that members of the public report wandering adults to whoever is legally responsible for them and, if the responsible person cannot be determined, to the Illinois Department on Aging so a caseworker can conduct an evaluation and arrange appropriate placement.

A second audience member offered a local facility supervisor, identified in the transcript as Andrea Collier, as someone who could meet with the council and answer questions about the care setting; the speaker said Collier had been fired from that position. The council chair said staff would collect contact information from the resident for follow‑up.

The council did not take formal action on the matter during the meeting; the item was raised during the public‑comment portion and the council moved on to the agenda.