LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A 71-year-old missing Henderson woman was found by a California couple about 20 miles west of Barstow.
Christina and Mike McCurdy told 13 Action News they found Arriana Round behind a solar plant, dehydrated and in the back of her car.
"She was very thin, and seemed distressed," McCurdy said. "She was still trying to hold it together but looked scared, thin and pale."
Henderson police said Round suffered from early onset dementia and was missing since March 20.
HPD is asking for your help in locating 71 yr old Arrianna Round.
— Henderson Police (@HendersonNVPD) March 21, 2019
She is 5’4”, 120 lbs., brn hair, brn eyes and may have onset of dementia.
She owns 2018 drk blu Nissan Rogue (NV) plates “153E54”.
If you see Arrianna or the listed car, please call 3-1-1 or HPD at 702-267-4913. pic.twitter.com/Ant0WAFRwy
Round's daughter, Crista Flaherty, said had the couple not been off-roading, her mother may not have made it out alive.
Round was taken to a hospital in Los Angeles to recuperate and be with her family.
When it comes to dementia, the Southern Nevada Alzheimer's Association said it is an umbrella term for cognitive impairment, and people should get tested as soon as signs are shown.
There are different types of dementia, but according to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, some early signs are as follows:
-Memory Loss and Cognitive Changes
-Behavioral Changes
-Language
-Personality Changes
Family Care Consultant, Irma Prettenhofer, of the Desert Southwest Chapter for the Alzheimer's Association said it's also important to listen to loved ones for clues.
"Make sure you listen to what they're saying because sometimes if they're talking about the past or a place, they are thinking of somewhere else, so they're going to wonder," Prettenhofer said.
Nevada has seen 779 deaths from Alzheimer's disease in 2017, and over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's with nearly 14 million expecting to have the disease in 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Alzheimer's disease is also the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
