Wandering And Dementia
Adults with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease sometimes feel driven to walk around. They actually have place to really go, and they often don’t realize what direction they are going. They just feel the need to move and walk somewhat randomly. This action is typically referred to as “wandering” by practitioners, caregivers, and researchers.
Wandering can be caused by a desire to seek out something or someone, like a family member or close friend, or by a “need” to fulfill a previous obligation like going grocery shopping. Many adults with dementia express a wish to “go home” even when they are living in their own homes. Wandering can happen because of stress, sleep deprivation, pain, disorientation, or unmet needs, like loneliness, monotony, or hunger.
Who Is at Risk for Wandering?
About 60% of those with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, are going to experience wandering, which most frequently happens in the midst or last stages of dementia. Wandering and/ or pacing can be beneficial with regard to alleviating anxiety and giving exercise, for instance. Nevertheless, what could be a very detrimental concern for families, caregivers, and LEO is referred to as “critical wandering”, or “elopement” which can result in what is called a “missing incident.”
A missing incident happens when the whereabouts of an individual with dementia are unknown to their caregiver, and the individual is not where they are supposed to be. Since dementia diminishes a person’s capability to figure out that they are in detriment or to independently act to safely return home, missing incidents can pose a serious threat to the personal safety of a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that about 1/2 of those that are not located within 24 hours risk serious jeopardy or death.
Missing incidents are unanticipated and can happen while the person is doing somewhat normal and day-to-day tasks. The goal should be to predict wandering, plan for it prior to it happening, and therefore prevent missing incidents. This is a very crucial goal of an extensive dementia care plan.
Tips To Prevent Wandering
When wandering has happened or the risk of wandering is elevated, don’t forget that wandering can be beneficial if carried out in a safe, secure setting. It can relieve boredom and create very necessary exercise. Attempting to limit the mobility of the person is going to tend to make things worse, resulting in distress and behavioral issues. Instead, the following are some tips for overseeing critical wandering or elopement in the home environment:
Maintaining a routine and structure daily is important to an individual with dementia. If wandering happens at specific times of day, plan an activity for that time.
Avoid active malls or shopping areas that can be confusing and could place an individual at risk for a missing incident.
Guarantee that basic needs are fulfilled. Hunger, distress, sleep deprivation, loneliness, and boredom can all trigger a wandering behavior. Utilize a night light to guarantee the person with dementia can find their way to the bathroom at night.
Do not correct an individual with dementia that is asking to “go home” or to go to work. Rather, redirect them to another activity like sitting down for a cup of tea, a jig saw puzzle, or listening to some music.
If wandering tends to happen at night, restrict daytime napping whenever possible. A lot of people with dementia may lose the capability to differentiate between night and day. Leave only night lights on at nighttime and use blinds or curtains to decrease light intrusion from outside sources.
Never leave an individual with dementia in an unlocked vehicle or home. If the person is at serious risk for precarious exiting, you can consider having locks on exit doors installed above the field of view. Keep keys in a very convenient location. A door alarm that signals when a door or window is open could additionally be considered.
Get in touch with local law enforcement to find out if they maintain a Silver Alert registry. Keep a recently updated photo handy and create a list of places that the individual may wander.
Consider buying an ID bracelet and a GPS device that aids in helping track the location of the individual and oversee where they are at. Little data is present to support the advantages of tracking the location of an individual with dementia at the risk of restricting one’s personal freedom. A decision to use a location tracking device should be made with the permission of the individual with dementia when possible.
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