SOS Care

09/05/2026

We have shared alot of important information this week about Autism, Water and Elopement. SOS Care supports those who wander in Horry County in collaboration with our first responders and the Project Lifesaver Program! Two weeks from today this annual Guns & Hoses event supports that program and allows us to outfit individuals with this added layer of protection. Consider a sponsorship or
Please join us 9/26 and enjoy a fabulous day of softball: 🥎🥎🥎
tinyurl.com/17thgunshoses

09/04/2026

Hey folks -- If you find yourself in the Murrells Inlet/ Garden City area Saturday, The Women of the Moose are doing a "drive thru" lunch or dinner benefit, and SOS Care is the beneficiary! Check it out at 9763 Moose Road, Murrells Inlet.

09/04/2026

Project Lifesaver: One Layer of Protection
When someone you love is at risk of wandering, having a safety plan matters.
Project Lifesaver is designed to assist in locating individuals with cognitive conditions who may be at risk of wandering, including individuals with autism, Alzheimer's disease and other conditions.
But no single device or program should be the entire safety plan.
For individuals with autism who are at risk of elopement, safety can include:
• A family wandering/emergency plan
• Securing doors and other potential exit points
• Teaching water safety and swimming skills
• Making neighbors and caregivers aware of wandering risk
• Having current photos and identifying information readily available
• Knowing nearby water hazards
• Calling 911 immediately if someone goes missing
• Using available locating technology such as Project Lifesaver
The CDC emphasizes that wandering can become a life-threatening emergency within minutes and that, because drowning is the leading cause of death following wandering, nearby water should be searched immediately.
Project Lifesaver can be an important layer of protection — but awareness, preparation and rapid response matter too.
At , we believe education and preparation can help make our entire
community safer for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Autism Wandering Is an
Emergency, August 2026.

09/03/2026

We started our day with the Conway Chamber of Commerce 's Power breakfast and heard from several of elected officials about all the wonderful progress that affects this great local community. Thank you Carla Schuessler, Luke Rankin, Tom Anderson and Barbara Blain for the promising updates!

09/03/2026

Autism, Elopement and Water 🌊🌊🌊
When a person with autism wanders, water can be one of the greatest dangers.
The CDC now specifically identifies autism wandering and elopement as an emergency and states: Drowning is the leading cause of death following wandering among autistic individuals.
The CDC recommends that when a person with autism goes missing, families call 911 immediately and that nearby water be treated as a top search priority — including pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, canals and retention ponds.
Research from Columbia University has also highlighted the extraordinary drowning risk faced by children with autism, finding they were 160 times as likely to die from drowning as the general pediatric population in the population studied.

These numbers are difficult to read, but they are important to know.
Water safety.
Wandering prevention.
Rapid response.
Community awareness.
Each can be an important layer of protection.💙
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Autism Wandering Is an
Emergency, August 2026; Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health / Guan and Li.

09/02/2026

Understanding Autism and Elopement

Nearly 1 in 2 children with autism may wander or elope from safety.
For many families affected by autism, elopement isn't simply a child "wandering off". It can become a life-threatening emergency in a matter of minutes.

Research published in Pediatrics found that 49% of children with autism had attempted to elope after age 4, compared with 13% of their unaffected siblings.
Of the children with autism who went missing:
• 65% faced danger from traffic
• 24% faced danger from drowning
Children may wander for many reasons — to explore, to reach something that interests them, to escape an overwhelming environment, or because they may not recognize danger in the same way others do.
Awareness is the first step toward prevention.
Families, caregivers, neighbors, educators and first responders all have a role to play in keeping vulnerable individuals safe.
Source: Anderson et al., Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012; CDC,
Wandering (Elopement).

09/02/2026

Did you know SOS Care offers a Leadership class that helps you with Self-Advocacy? Thanks to a grant from the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council , we offer this program year round, and the next class is coming up!
A Meet and Greet for the next class will be held at Oak Tree Farm on September 23 at 6:30 PM in the Chapin Health and Wellness Center. Families are welcome to come to hear what it is all about. Refreshments will be served. Sign up at: https://forms.gle/i6M9eNRj1sphStXNA

09/01/2026

Project Lifesaver is a search-and-rescue program designed to help law enforcement quickly locate people who are at risk of wandering because of cognitive conditions such as autism, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Down syndrome, and other conditions.

How Project Lifesaver Works

A person is enrolled in the program
A caregiver or family member enrolls an eligible individual through a participating Project Lifesaver agency.
The individual wears a small transmitter
The person wears a personalized, wrist-worn transmitter that emits a continuous radio-frequency signal.
The transmitter has a unique frequency assigned to that individual.
The transmitter is maintained regularly
The caregiver and/or agency follows a schedule for battery changes and transmitter maintenance.
The individual’s transmitter information is kept on file so responders know exactly who they are searching for.
If the person wanders, law enforcement is contacted
Instead of relying solely on traditional search methods, trained responders can use specialized Project Lifesaver equipment to detect the transmitter’s signal.
Responders track the signal
Search teams use a mobile receiver and directional antenna to follow the signal and narrow down the person’s location.
This can help responders search more efficiently, particularly in areas where a person may be difficult to see or may be hidden from view.
The goal is a faster, safer recovery
Project Lifesaver is designed to reduce the time it takes to locate a missing person and reunite them with their family or caregiver.

The important part

Project Lifesaver isn’t simply a tracking app or GPS device. It is a partnership between caregivers and trained public-safety agencies, with specialized equipment and procedures specifically designed for locating people who wander.

For SOS Care, this is especially important because Project Lifesaver can give families another layer of protection and give law enforcement a tool specifically designed to help bring a missing loved one home. February marks 20 years of assisting families and working with our first responders and we look forward to many more years to come!

If you are interested in Project Lifesaver or would like to fill out an application, please click here

SOS Health Care primary role is to help when individuals or families are facing the challenges of autism & intellectual disabilities. - Project Lifesaver

09/01/2026

Employment: Celebrating Danny’s 1-Year Anniversary at Five Guys! 🎉🎉
Shout out to Danny for celebrating one year at Five Guys Burgers & Fries! Danny loves his job and especially enjoys working in a positive environment with coworkers he has built great relationships with.
Danny works the register, making him one of the first people customers meet when they visit. His upbeat and positive personality helps create a welcoming experience for customers. His managers praise him for being a fast learner, dependable, and always on top of his daily responsibilities.
When things slow down between customers, Danny takes initiative by making milkshakes, keeping the dining room clean, and making sure supplies are stocked. Danny’s hard work, positive attitude, and dedication have made him a valued member of the Five Guys team.
Congratulations on one year, Danny! We are so proud of your success! 💙
To learn more about our SOS Employment programs, visit: https://soscaresc.org/programs/employment-services/

09/01/2026

https://wpde.com/news/local/limitations-of-project-lifesaver-and-its-role-in-looking-for-saylor-hayes-autism-georgetown-county-five-year-old-horry-device

Project Lifesaver is a GPS technology used to track people with cognitive disabilities if they get lost. The limitations and being used for Saylor Hayes.