Finding a confused and disoriented person wandering about is both frightful for the individual and for loved ones. The Alzheimer's Association reports that as many as 60 percent of people with dementia will wander and may get lost. "Dementia" is a broad term for a decline in memory or other mental or language abilities that significantly limits the activities of daily living. Alzheimer's disease comprises up to 80 percent of dementia cases, and additional medical conditions such as stroke, head injuries, Parkinson's disease, autism and Down syndrome can all lead patients to take a stroll away from their homes and familiar surroundings. Wandering of a loved one is one of the most pressing concerns of caregivers, but is preventable with the right safeguards and training in place.
"Even in the early stages of dementia, when a person's mental ability declines to interrupt everyday life and activities, a person can become confused or disoriented," said Melanie Lamar Hancock, President of Right at Home Washington, DC. "In the mental fog, the person can lose his or her whereabouts and end up lost."
If you or someone you know is a caregiver for a dementia patient, it's important to recognize the warning signs of wandering and then secure a personalized safety plan for the patient. Here are specific wandering signs to watch for in those dealing with decreased cognitive ability:
- 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.
- Returning late from a regular walk or drive.
- Inquiring about the whereabouts of past or current family and friends.
Even with the most diligent of caregivers, wandering with dementia patients can still happen. "Right at Home develops a thorough Custom Care Plan for the client, and we work with family members to include personal safety and monitoring of those with dementia, Lamar explains. "One of the keys is to continually adapt safeguards as a client's needs change."
Lamar Hancock recommends a number of steps to help prevent wandering:
- Assess the time(s) of day when a person is most prone to wander. Plan extra activities or exercise during these periods to decrease the restlessness and anxiety of wanting to leave.
- Address the underlying cause of wandering. Often there is a motive behind wandering. Is your aging loved one wandering at night because of waking up hungry or thirsty? Are certain sounds triggering a need to investigate outdoors?
- Secure your home with hard-to-access door and window locks (place locks high or low on exterior doors or add slide bolts). Motion detectors also can alert when someone opens an outer door. Hanging bells on doorknobs is a simple and cost-effective deterrent, too.
- Install an outside fence with secured gates. This allows the loved one to still get some fresh air without ambling off.
- Use monitoring devices such as jewelry or bracelets with radio transmitters. Some tracking devices you control and others require a service that charges a monthly fee to pinpoint the location of the person who wanders. Local law enforcement and organizations like Project Lifesaver can be of additional assistance.
- Practice restful sleep habits. Some healthissues lead to poor sleep and exacerbate wandering. Reducing daytime napping and caffeinated drinks can help lessen the urge to wander instead of sleep.
- Involve neighbors. Introduce your aging loved one to neighbors and give them a phone number to call in case they see your loved one aimlessly out and about in the neighborhood. Also, be sure your loved one always wears an ID bracelet or pendant, or sew identification tags inside clothing.
- Provide adequate supervision. Never leave a person with dementia and possible wandering issues alone at home or in a car.
- If wandering occurs, immediately call 911 and file a missing person report before searching the immediate area yourself. Also, phone MedicAlert� + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return� program at 1-800-625-3780, which first responders are trained to call when they find a missing dementia person. Registering with this nationwide program for Alzheimer's or related dementia can provide an additional resource for caregivers of dementia patients.
About Right at Home of Washington, DC
The Washington, DC office of Right at Home is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of The District of Columbia. For more information, contact Right at Home of DC at www.rightathomedc.net , 202-269-0008 or by email at info@rightathomedc.net.
About Right at Home
Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Local Right at Home offices are independently owned and operated and directly employ and supervise all caregiving staff, each of whom is thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 42 states nationwide and throughout the world. For more information on Right at Home, visit About Right at Home at http://www.rightathome.net/about-us or read the Right at Home caregiving blog at http://www.rightathome.net/blog. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving e-newsletter, Caring Right at Home, visit http://caringnews.com.
