How do you stop someone with dementia from wandering?

According to the Alzheimer's Association, six out of 10 people with dementia will wander at least once, and it can happen at any stage of the disease. Understanding how do you stop someone with dementia from wandering is critical for their safety and for the caregiver's peace of mind. The process involves identifying triggers, securing the environment, and utilizing technology.

Quick Summary

This guide provides practical strategies and safety measures to prevent wandering in individuals with dementia. It covers understanding the underlying causes, modifying the home environment, using technology like GPS trackers, implementing redirection techniques, and knowing when to consider professional memory care.

Key Points

• Identify Triggers: Pay attention to patterns and triggers that cause restlessness, such as boredom, anxiety, or unmet physical needs, to anticipate and address wandering behaviors proactively.

• Secure the Home Environment: Install non-obvious locks, use door alarms, and camouflage exits to prevent a person with dementia from leaving the home unnoticed.

• Distract and Engage: Provide engaging, simple activities and stick to a consistent daily routine to reduce anxiety and give a sense of purpose.

• Utilize GPS Tracking Technology: Invest in a wearable GPS device (watch, pendant, or shoe insert) to provide real-time location tracking in case the person wanders.

• Notify the Community: Inform trusted neighbors and local police about the individual's condition and provide them with a recent photo to aid in a potential search.

• Have an Emergency Plan: Prepare a kit with a current photo and a list of familiar places the person might go, and have emergency contacts ready.

• Consider Professional Care When Needed: Evaluate if the caregiving demands are becoming overwhelming and a professional memory care facility would be a safer option for the person.

Understanding the 'Why' Behind Wandering

To effectively manage wandering, it is crucial to understand its root causes, which are often not aimless but purposeful in the mind of the person with dementia. Some common triggers include:

• Reliving the past: A person may feel an urge to go to a past job, pick up children from school, or visit a former home.
• Searching for someone or something: They might be looking for a deceased loved one or a misplaced item, driven by confusion and distress.
• Unmet basic needs: Wandering can be a result of hunger, thirst, pain, needing the bathroom, or feeling too hot or cold.
• Restlessness and anxiety: A general feeling of agitation, boredom, or overstimulation can cause an urge to pace or walk.
• Confusion and disorientation: The person may not recognize their surroundings, even their own home, and feel lost.

Practical Strategies to Reduce Wandering

Once potential triggers are identified, several non-restrictive strategies can help mitigate wandering behavior.

• Establish a consistent daily routine: Predictability reduces anxiety and confusion. Plan engaging activities during times when restlessness or wandering typically occur, such as late afternoons during 'sundowning'.
• Provide meaningful activities: Distraction is a powerful tool. Offer simple, purposeful tasks like folding laundry, watering plants, or listening to familiar music. Sensory engagement can also be effective.
• Focus on feelings, not facts: If a person insists they need to 'go home' or 'go to work,' avoid arguing or correcting them. Validate their emotions and feelings, then gently redirect them to another activity or a comforting object.
• Address physical comfort: Ensure basic needs are met before restlessness begins. Check if they are hungry, thirsty, or need to use the restroom. A comfortable environment with appropriate temperature and lighting is also important.

Securing the Home Environment

Creating a safe and secure living space is paramount for preventing a person with dementia from wandering away unnoticed. Several modifications can be implemented:

• Install locks strategically: Add deadbolts or key-operated locks either high up or low on exterior doors, out of the line of sight. Never lock someone inside alone.
• Camouflage exits: Placing curtains, posters, or painted panels that blend in with the wall can make a door less conspicuous. A large, dark-colored mat in front of an exit may also act as a visual barrier, as people with dementia may perceive it as a hole.
• Use alarms and sensors: Simple chimes on doors, motion sensors, or pressure-sensitive mats by the bed can alert you if your loved one is on the move.
• Hide triggers: Keep tempting items that signal departure, such as coats, car keys, purses, and shoes, out of sight.
• Create safe wandering paths: If pacing is an issue, clear safe, clutter-free pathways both inside and outside. A fenced yard with a locked gate provides a safe outdoor space.

Implementing Technology and Community Resources

In addition to home modifications, technology and community services offer crucial layers of safety.

Feature	GPS Tracking Devices	Door/Window Alarms	Medical ID Bracelets
Function	Provides real-time location tracking via a smartphone app or web browser.	Alerts caregivers with an audible chime, alarm, or notification when a door or window is opened.	Offers instant access to critical medical information and emergency contacts for first responders.
Wearability	Can be worn as a watch, pendant, or clipped discreetly to clothing. The GPS SmartSole can even be placed inside a shoe.	Non-wearable; installed directly on doors and windows.	Worn as a bracelet or pendant with medical information engraved on it.
Best for	High-risk individuals who may leave the premises and get lost, providing the ability to quickly locate them.	Early warning system for caregivers in the home, especially for nighttime wandering.	All individuals with dementia, serving as a vital identifier in any emergency, whether at home or away.
Primary Goal	Locating a person quickly after they have wandered.	Preventing the initial act of wandering by providing immediate alerts.	Assisting first responders with crucial information to aid a lost or incapacitated person.

• Enroll in a wandering response service: Services like MedicAlert® + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return® provide 24/7 assistance to help find a person who has wandered.
• Alert neighbors and local police: Informing your community and local authorities about the person's condition and wandering tendencies can lead to a quicker, safer return. Keeping a recent photo on hand is also recommended.
• Consider memory care: If wandering becomes too frequent or managing the risk becomes overwhelming, a professional memory care facility offers 24-hour supervision by trained staff.

Conclusion

Effectively preventing wandering in dementia requires a combination of empathy, environmental security, and technological aids. By understanding the reasons behind the behavior and implementing proactive strategies, caregivers can significantly reduce risks and create a safer environment. A personalized approach that involves meaningful activities, a structured routine, and strategic home modifications can help manage the behavior. When a person's safety can no longer be guaranteed at home, professional memory care offers a specialized environment with the resources needed to keep them secure. The goal is to provide a sense of security and freedom within a controlled, safe space, ensuring the well-being of the person with dementia while providing peace of mind for their loved ones.

Key Takeaways

• Understand the 'Why': Wandering is often triggered by confusion, unmet needs like hunger or pain, or a desire to relive a past routine.
• Secure the Home: Use high or low-mounted deadbolts, camouflage exits, and install door or motion sensor alarms to prevent unsupervised departure.
• Hide Triggers: Store keys, coats, purses, and other items that signal leaving out of sight to reduce the impulse to wander.
• Create Routines and Activities: A consistent daily schedule and engaging, meaningful activities can reduce restlessness and anxiety.
• Use GPS Trackers: Wearable GPS devices offer real-time tracking for peace of mind, allowing for a swift response if a person does wander.
• Prepare for Emergencies: Enroll in a wandering response service and inform neighbors and local authorities about the person's condition.
• Consider Professional Care: If wandering becomes a severe safety risk, a professional memory care facility provides round-the-clock specialized supervision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary reason someone with dementia wanders?

There are several reasons, but wandering is often purposeful from the perspective of the person with dementia. It can be caused by confusion, a search for something or someone, a need to fulfill a past obligation (like going to work), restlessness, or an unmet need like hunger or pain.

Are physical restraints a safe option to stop wandering?

No, physical restraints are not a safe or legal solution and should be avoided. They can cause injury, increase agitation, and lead to serious harm. The focus should always be on less restrictive, person-centered care approaches.

Can covering a door stop a person with dementia from wandering?

Yes, camouflaging an exit can be an effective tactic. Covering a door with a curtain or painting it the same color as the wall can make it less obvious. Another technique involves placing a large, dark-colored mat in front of the door, as some people with dementia perceive it as a hole they cannot cross.

What should I do if my loved one is found wandering?

Approach calmly and gently, avoiding startled reactions. Provide reassurance and avoid arguing about where they are. Redirect them toward a familiar, safe place. If they are missing for more than 15 minutes, call 911 immediately.

How can I prepare my neighbors for potential wandering events?

Politely introduce your loved one to neighbors and inform them of the person's condition and wandering tendencies. Provide your contact information and ask them to call you immediately if they see the person out alone.

What kind of technology can help prevent wandering?

Technology options include wearable GPS trackers (watches, pendants, shoe inserts), door and window alarms, motion sensors, and pressure-sensitive floor mats that can alert a caregiver.

When is it time to consider a memory care facility for a wandering loved one?

It may be time for professional care if wandering becomes a severe and frequent safety risk, especially at night. A higher level of care is also needed when a caregiver experiences burnout or the person’s needs exceed what can be safely managed at home.