Wandering refers to moving about without having a definite place to go or a purpose. Over 60% of people with diseases that cause dementia, or memory and thinking problems (like Alzheimer’s Disease), will wander at some point.
A person who wanders may:
Even people with only mild dementia can have this problem and it’s sometimes harder to deal with because they can still do many things normally.
A person with dementia may have a reason to wander that is not obvious to you, the observer. For example, a person will become agitated because they cannot remember what they want to do, so they walk around hoping that will help them remember.
Wandering may develop in response to a physical illness or emotional problem. Wandering may also just be a symptom of the person’s dementia. If you care for a person who wanders, this lesson will help you sort out these issues.
Left unrestricted and unsupervised, wandering can be dangerous. It is important to know the warning signs that tell you a person may begin to wander. This lesson will also give you suggestions for reducing wandering and for keeping the person you care for safe.
Over 60% of people with diseases that cause dementia, or memory and thinking problems like Alzheimer's, will wander.