The real horror is that the person panics when they can’t find their phone. They are just chilling at home, they know the phone is somewhere in the home, they don’t need it right now and they don’t have to leave anywhere.
The phone will turn up. It’s just a gadget, you won’t miss it if it’s gone for an hour or so.
(I may be jaded from misplacing stuff so frequently)
Oof, that’s rough…
If it’s been 19 years and no change in sight, it seems it’s up to you to create the changes you’re hoping for.