Wandering is a common behavior as a person moves through the Alzheimer’s disease process. Learning good strategies for coping with wandering can mean the difference between life and death in the most extreme cases.
All behaviors are forms of communication. Challenging expressions in dementia are no exception. As the disease takes away their means to understand the environment, what is happening or how to express wants, needs and emotions.
“There’s no way to predict who or when someone with dementia will wander,” said Hollie Glover, director of education and family support services at the James L. West Center for Dementia Care. Glover leads free education sessions for family caregivers on coping with challenging expressions.
Wandering typically happens during normal activities, something they’ve done hundreds of times. Because the person wandering doesn’t believe they are in trouble or need help, they do not ask for help or leave any physical clues behind.
On foot, the person with dementia will typically travel less than one-tenth of a mile, but in a car, they may drive until they run out of gas. They will typically go in the direction of their dominant hand.
Understanding wandering and its causes
Wandering occurs when a person with dementia becomes lost or confused about their location when out and about. They may get in the car to go to a familiar place, but they do not return in a normal amount of time. Maybe they go for a walk, don’t return as usual, and aren’t along a normal route. Maybe you arranged to meet them in a specific location in a familiar store, but they weren’t there at the appointed time.
A caregiver coping with wandering must first understand the potential causes: boredom, restlessness, a noisy or stressful environment, frustration or anger, trying to meet former obligations at work or home, unfamiliar environment, searching for “something,” meeting wants or needs, paranoia, delusion, hallucination, or sundowning.
The triggers for wandering are as unique as each person who has dementia. It is estimated 59 percent of people with dementia will get lost and 46 percent may die if not found within 24 hours.
Understanding what might cause your loved one to wander can help you avoid triggers and prepare for how to redirect them to less dangerous activities.
Make an action plan
It’s important to know what steps to take when a loved one with dementia wanders. First, search the immediate area where they were last seen. If in a store, enlist the assistance of store personnel, who may be able to use security footage to find your loved one.
If you don’t immediately locate them, call the police. Be sure to tell dispatch and responding officers that the person is memory impaired or has a dementia diagnosis and is at risk. Provide a recent photo of your loved one and describe what they were wearing.
If your loved one is a frequent wanderer, try to take photos regularly or make taking a photo of your loved one with your phone a part of your daily routine. You can also purchase shoes with GPS tracking in the heel on Amazon to track your loved one’s location.
Safe and Found Services is a partnership with MedicAlert and the Alzheimer’s Association. This is a 24/7 service and emergency response that creates and distributes a bulletin to local hospitals and law enforcment, and coordinates with the family to facilitate their loved one’s safe return.
Have friends or family continue the search for your loved one and stay by the phone. Call hospitals and emergency rooms.
Strategies for Coping with Wandering
First, try to understand why your loved one is wandering or pacing. Use a calm voice and ask them what they are doing, where they are going or who they are looking for. Then, distract them with another activity.
Encourage them to stir something in the kitchen, play a simple game, make a phone call to someone important to them, or redirect to another room or area of the house. If they are looking for their room, help them find it. It’s important to reassure them use a calm tone of voice.
Below are some additional tips for preventing wandering:
- Put a mirror on the back of the exterior door.
- Place a black mat in front of the exterior door. Use caution as this could be a fall hazard.
- Paint the exterior door the same color as the wall.
- Hang a tapestry or poster over the door and hide the door knob.
- Place a large stop sign or Do Not Enter sign on doors.
- Label bathrooms and bedrooms clearly with large letters and pictures
- Create safe spaces for a loved one to explore on their own
- Provide opportunities for exercise.
Have an action plan. Identify possible triggers. Plan your responses.
The James L. West Center for Dementia Care offers free education for family caregivers, including a number of sessions on managing challenging expressions. Explore the available sessions or find upcoming live sessions on the Education Calendar.
