Rose McLeod is hopeful her husband who has Alzheimer's disease will soon be freed from the Winnipeg Remand Centre.
"He doesn't belong there. He doesn't belong in jail," said Rose.
Her husband, 69-year-old Joe McLeod, has been housed in the remand centre for five weeks.
He was arrested on Sept. 2 for assault after he became confused and pushed his wife, who he didn't recognize at the time, said his family.
Relatives joined with provincial Liberal leader Jon Gerrard to call on the provincial government to address the matter.
"This is something they should have gotten involved with right away. Somebody with Alzheimer's should not be sitting in jail for a month," said Gerrard.
The Alzheimer Society of Manitoba agrees and said Joe McLeod's case is a warning sign, since the number of people with Alzheimer's disease is expected to double over the next 30 years.
The organization is working with Manitoba Justice and Winnipeg police, on the heels of the McLeod case.
"(We need) to find out what we can learn from this happening, and how we can look at the system and make sure it doesn't happen in the future," said Alzheimer Society of Manitoba CEO Sylvia Rothney.
Officials with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said they are working with Joe McLeod's family to find an emergency health placement.
Provincial officials said he can only be moved from the remand centre if it's approved by the courts. He is scheduled to make an appearance before a judge on Oct. 8.
- with a report from CTV's Jeremy Hunka
