Help Prevent Dementia Patients From Wandering

Mental health groups across the world report that as many as 60%  of people with dementia, a condition with decreased memory or mental ability, will wander away and may get lost. Due to the progressive nature of dementia; the delicate chemistry and structures in the brain incur damage over time reducing the ability to understand, remember, communicate and reason. As a result Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, head injuries and other health issues that involve dementia can  lead patients to stroll away from familiar surroundings. As the trained home healthcare caregivers of Right at Home know, wandering is preventable with the right safeguards in place.

Telltale  wandering risk signs to watch for include:

• Restlessness, pacing or repetitive movement
• Difficulty with locating familiar places like a bedroom or bathroom
• A desire to ‘go home’ even when already at home
• Attempting to go to work or to fulfill former obligations
• Inquiring about the whereabouts of past or current family and friends

Safeguards to prevent wandering include:

• Address the underlying cause of wandering. Is your  loved one waking up hungry or thirsty? Are certain sounds triggering a need to investigate outdoors?
• Assess the time(s) of day when a person is most prone to wander. Make sure to plan extra activities or exercise during these periods to decrease the restlessness and desire to leave.
• Secure your home with two  step-to-access door and window locks (place locks - high or low - on exterior doors or add slide bolts). Or, place motion detectors on outer doors or hang bells on doorknobs.
• Use monitoring devices such as jewellery, bracelets with radio transmitter or a convenient clip on SMS devices which can be provided by Right at Home.
• Involve neighbours. Introduce your ageing loved one to neighbours and give them a phone number to call if they see your loved one  out and about unaccompanied. Also, be sure  to ensure your loved one always wears an ID bracelet or pendant, or sew identification tags inside their clothing.