78-year-old Margaret McCormic from Burlington went missing early Thursday afternoon. Police say the woman suffers from dementia and walked away from her senior residence in Aldershot.

According to Halton police 78 year old Margaret McCormick was found last night curled up and laying beside the CN Rail tracks west of Waterdown Road.

It was a huge sigh of relief and we’re thankful for a fantastic outcome that she is alive and still with us.” says Shannon Rach the General Manager at Park Avenue Manor in Burlington.

Rach continues to say, “We do know that she was sitting at the front of the building. hat on, mitts on, boots on and to our knowledge she may have stepped out with a visitor that had stepped in so she may have stepped out.”

Rach says they initiated code yellow right away which means “missing resident”. In this case, a specific protocol is in place for staff to follow.

“We search the entire building, all the rooms and then we do an external search as well. if we’re not able to locate them then we call the family, call police, call head office.” says Rach

McCormick had only be living at the facility for a couple days. All residents are given a code to come and go as they please. While police say McCormick suffers from dementia, Rach says it wasn’t on her file. “There was no indication that there was any possibility of exit seeking or wandering so this was a new behaviour for us.”

Dr. Charland from Joseph Brant Hospital says in weather like this depending on how they’re dressed it can be minutes to hours before hypothermia sets in.

Police say McCormick was taken to Joseph Brant Hospital where she is being treated for hypothermia. How she was able to survive being outside for about four hours is not clear, the hospital would not comment on her condition.

Police encourage the public if they see a senior walking outdoors who is not dressed for the weather to call them.