The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office successfully located a patient with Alzheimer’s who had wandered nearly a mile from his home Tuesday morning.

A press release from the Sheriff’s Office said tracking technology provided as part of the Project Lifesaver program was utilized in the search to find the 77-year-old man, who was found laying in a ditch with minor injuries.

“I’m very pleased with the job our deputies did,” Sheriff Mike Blakely said. “This could have been a lot worse, but thankfully it ended with the victim safely reunited with his family.”

The man was reported missing by his wife at about 7:30 a.m. The couple lives off Mooresville Road, just south of Newby Road. The man’s wife told deputies her husband was gone when she woke up.

Because the Alzheimer’s patient was enrolled in Project Lifesaver, he wore a tracking bracelet. Mobile receivers are kept at the Sheriff’s Office and in patrol vehicles.

After deploying the receivers near the victim’s home, deputies quickly located him about three-quarters of a mile away in a deep ditch about 100 feet off the roadway. The victim was conscious and responsive and had minor facial injuries. He was transported to Athens-Limestone Hospital for treatment.

Project Lifesaver is offered free of charge to Limestone County residents who have Alzheimer’s, dementia or similar conditions. It is funded by the senior citizens advisory council for sheriff’s and chiefs of police, TRIAD/S.A.L.T. (Seniors And Law enforcement Together).

Blakely said he was glad the patient was enrolled in the program. Otherwise, he said the search could have taken hours.

“It’s very important that people know this program is available, especially if they have loved ones with conditions that cause them to wander off,” he said.