Can an assisted living facility be held liable if a resident wanders away from a memory care unit?

Yes. Wandering away from a facility, legally known as elopement, is a direct consequence of inadequate supervision, broken exit alarms, or severe understaffing. If a Daly City facility admits a resident with known wandering tendencies or advanced dementia, it is required to implement a localized care plan to secure them. When a resident elopes due to staff failure, the facility can be held liable for any resulting physical trauma, exposure, or wrongful death.