What Causes Dementia Wandering
Alzheimers disease and other types of dementia affect cells in the part of the brain that controls memory. Recent memories and spatial recall or the ability to remember different locations or where something is in relation to something else are two of the first things seniors with cognitive decline lose, according to the National Institute on Aging. These challenges make it harder to remember a destination, determine directions, or recall the reason for leaving in the first place.
Seniors with dementia may want to escape a situation because theyre confused or disoriented. But as they depart, they can forget what happened, become unexpectedly lost, and begin to wander. Emotional distress, medical conditions, and a perceived need to complete tasks can all cause dementia wandering.
What Is The Best Way To Handle Wandering Patients
You may come to find that your loved ones wandering behaviors are merely annoying and don’t pose any harm. This is a good thing because it doesn’t generally require intervention beyond basic safety measures. Walking provides many health benefits and can be a good activity for seniors. However, if a person with dementia is walking to the point of exhaustion, losing weight, falling, getting lost or escaping into unsafe areas , then interventions are necessary.
I have found that family, paid caregivers and health care providers tend to want to control or stop troubling dementia behaviors through medications or physical restraints. However, there are no FDA-approved medications for wandering behaviors, and the medications many doctors recommend can cause sedation and contribute to falls. Additionally, the use of physical restraints can be detrimental to an elders physical and mental health, enhancing the risk of poor circulation, pressure ulcers, weakness, incontinence, increased dependence, depression, agitation, fear and isolation.
Senior Services Of America: Communities That Support The Needs Of Dementia Patients
Whether you or a loved one is looking for a senior living community with dementia care, Senior Services of America is here to support everyone in the family.
Our senior living facilities promote independence, even in memory care settings. Visit your nearest community to find out how we can help you with this critical part of your life.
You May Like: Can Alzheimer’s Be Diagnosed With A Pet Scan
Sleep Issues And Alzheimers Disease
Sleeping through the night can be difficult for people with Alzheimers disease and other dementias. As dementia progresses, affected individuals spend more of their nights awake and daytime hours sleeping. Although they spend more of their time sleeping, the sleep is often light and with frequent awakenings.
Many people wake up during the night to wander. They can wake up confused, disoriented, frightened, or feeling alone. They may also suffer from delusions and/or hallucinations that disrupt sleep patterns.
Poor sleep can seriously affect those with dementia, as it can contribute to agitated behavior, delirium, decline in thinking and functioning, falls and injuries, and increased mortality.
This program will provide a general understanding of some sleep issues and offer practical tips to help improve the quality and quantity of sleep for those with dementia and their caregivers.
Contemplate The Underlying Causes
Think about your loved one and ask yourself what could be causing them to wander. A persons lifelong routines, the onset of new symptoms and even basic personal needs could be triggering their behaviors. The following questions might help:
- Was your loved one always very active?
- Is there a specific activity that they used to do during the day that coincides with the timing or actions of your loved ones wandering?
- Is your loved one at the stage of dementia where they are confusing the past and present?
- Do they recognize familiar surroundings?
- Does your loved one have any unmet needs, such as needing to use the bathroom, wanting food or water, pain that is not being well managed, or desiring comfort?
- Does your loved one seem worried, anxious or bored?
- Have any new medications been added to or removed from your loved ones regimen? What about dosage changes?
- Has their environment changed at all recently?
Only after you have precisely defined the problem by completing these three steps can you start thinking about whether an intervention is needed and what that might entail.
Read Also: Is There A Link Between Flu Shot And Alzheimer’s
Why Do Dementia Patients Walk Around At Night
Two of the most common reasons why dementia patients wander at night include:
Sundowners Syndrome is a state of confusion occurring in the late afternoon and lasting into the night.
Loss of natural circadian rhythm reduces the body’s oxygen levels and causes numerous sleep interruptions through the night.
Emergencies: What To Do If Your Loved One Wanders
If your efforts to prevent wandering havenât worked and your loved one has gone off, what should you do? Your natural reaction will probably be to run outside and frantically search in any direction.
But experts say the first thing you should do is call 911 to alert authorities. If your loved one is registered with organizations like Project Lifesaver or the Alzheimerâs Association Safe Return program, you can call them, too. Once youâve done that, you can start looking yourself.
Show Sources
Geraldine Dawson, PhD, chief science officer, Autism Speaks research professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Beth Kallmyer, director of client services for the national office, Alzheimer’s Association, Chicago.
Alzheimerâs Association: âMedicAlert and Safe Return,â âWandering.â
AlzOnline: âWandering and Dementia.â
Down Syndrome Association of Queensland Inc: âStrategies for Children with Down Syndrome Who Wander.â
National Sleep Foundation: âSleep and Alzheimerâs Disease.â
Pathfinders for Autism: âPlan Your Response to an Autism Emergency.â
Project Lifesaver International: âHow it works.â
Also Check: How To Deal With Vascular Dementia
Precautions For Alzheimers Programs And Assisted Living Centers
Adult day centers and assisted living facilities also take precautions to prevent people in their care from wandering away unnoticed . Here are best practices used to keep residents and participants safe and engaged:
- At or before admission, staff familiarize themselves with the new person through an interview, assessment or lifestyle biography. This helps them to learn what that individuals behaviors are and what he or she has enjoyed in the past. Staff can then design individualized care plans with meaningful and appropriate activities that help residents remain focused and calm.
- Alarms are put on outside exits to alert staff if anyone leaves the building.
- High staffing ratios are beneficial, enabling staff to participate in one-on-one activities and offer individualized attention.
- Extra caution is taken during turnover times, such as during shift changes or at pickup times in day programs, when remaining participants might get the idea to leave and/or follow others out the door. To distract them, adult day centers sometimes plan a fun activity, such as a ball toss with a balloon with the rest of the group at pick-up times.
- Alzheimers individuals tend to be more prone to wandering when they become agitated or upset. Listening to their favorite music through headphones canbe soothing.
How To Reduce Dementia Wandering At Night
Dementia wandering at night is a common problem, especially in conjunction with sundown syndrome. Denny suggests taking these steps to reduce the likelihood and hazards of nighttime wandering:
You May Like: Does Neil Diamond Have Alzheimer’s
Tips For Managing Wandering
There are several steps caregivers can take in order to manage wandering, including making the home safer.
First, dedicate areas that are safe for wandering and exercise. Make sure the areas are clear of stairwells, clutter, sharp or fragile objects, chemicals, obstacles on the floor, and other hazards.
If the person likes to rummage, provide a drawer or chest for rummaging in this safe area.
Make sure that the person has comfortable, secure shoes and regularly check their feet for any blisters, sores, or toenail problems.
Watch closely to ensure the persons safety as well as the safety of others and to monitor where they wander. If the person tries to wander into an area that you want to remain off-limits, cue them away from that area.
Place childproof doorknob covers, locks that require keys on both sides, or door alarms on doors that you do not want the person to open easily or without being detected.
Provide individuals with a medical bracelet or necklace and place their name, medical conditions and important phone numbers in a wallet or purse. You can also have the same information sewn into or written on their clothing.
If the person is missing, first check the immediate surroundings. Look in closets, the basement, and the garage. Check unusual places as well, such as crawl spaces, mechanical rooms, and the attic if accessible.
to learn about the Safe Return® program.
What Should You Do If A Loved One With Dementia Wanders Away
- Act immediately and dont wait to start your search.
- Can you identify what the person was wearing?
- Where was the person seen last?
- Check inside and outside the home, in neighboring areas, parks, and waterways, and in all areas the person may have wandered to before.
- If you are unable to find the person within 15 minutes,
We hope the information presented in this blog, along with tips on preventing and reducing the risks of wandering, helps you and your family.
Should you or a family member need assistance in providing care for a loved one with dementia,
please call Senior Helpers Orlando at 628-4357. We can help! Senior Helpers Orlando provides in-home health care services and Alzheimers and dementia care in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties.
Thank you!
Senior Helpers Orlando Team Member
Don’t Miss: Can Dementia Cause Liver Failure
Get Any Physical And Mental Conditions Diagnosed And Treated
As we made clear earlier in this article, depression, restless leg syndrome, and countless other physical and mental health conditions can impede a dementia patients ability to sleep. Youll recall that that includes dementia itself.
If your parent or loved one with dementia doesnt already have a treatment regimen with their doctor, then beginning one is within their best interest.
Reducing The Risk Of Wandering
No one thing is going to prevent a person living with dementia from wandering. Multiple strategies are recommended to reduce the risk.When it is at all possible, it is important to find solutions that honour the person’s independence and freedom. The precautions you take will depend on what is appropriate for the individual you are caring for, as well as the features of the person’s physical environment. For example, what will work for someone who lives in a small town may not be suitable for someone in a large urban centre.
Don’t Miss: Is Alzheimer’s A Form Of Dementia
Memory Care Communities Combat Dementia Wandering
As cognitive decline increases, it may become unsafe for your relative with dementia to live at home especially if theyre at risk of wandering. Memory care provides housing and 24-hour care for seniors with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia. These communities offer stimulating activities and therapies to reduce the likelihood of dementia wandering, and also provide a protected environment for seniors who do wander.
Making Safety Changes To Their Environment
Having a safe, comfortable environment for my Grandpa to movearound in, but also stay safe is very important to him and us as a family.
Helping him wandering safely by putting sound-sensitivemonitors or bells on doors and windows so that he can walk around the house,but we know when he has opened a door leading outside
Spending time with him outside every day in a secure area
Providing visual cues by keeping familiar objects aroundhim, leaving lights on, having clocks and calendars where he can see them,putting labels on doors so that he knows what he will find through each one
Making sure we keep the things that trigger him and prompthis wandering away. For example, we make sure that car keys are out of sightthat he doesnt think to pick them up and get in the car and also monitor himfor sundowning later in the day.
Don’t Miss: Should You Tell Someone They Have Alzheimer’s
Be Prepared For Dementia Wandering
Some wandering is likely even with preventive steps. Making a plan and knowing what to do in advance will help you find your senior loved one more quickly in case of dementia wandering. Follow these four steps to ensure youre ready for an emergency.
1. Prepare important documents. Make copies of these documents and share them with home care aides and other family caregivers:
- A recent, close-up photo of your relative
- Up-to-date medical information to give police in case of emergency
- A list of people to call for help, like friends and neighbors
- A list of places your loved one with dementia may wander former homes, jobs, favorite restaurants, or places of worship
- A list of places and people theyve mentioned while experiencing dementia symptoms
- A wandering information sheet tracking your loved ones symptoms and behaviors over time
2. Dont be afraid to ask for help. Having all possible resources available can be necessary in case of emergency.
3. Be aware of your surroundings and your loved ones condition. Knowledge of your neighborhood and your aging relatives wandering habits can save time in an emergency.
Ensure Their Basic Needs Are Met
Many older adults with dementia will wander when they are in search of things to meet their basic needs. By ensuring that they have everything they need, this risk is largely removed. For example, you might leave a glass or bottle of water next to the bed in case the person gets thirsty at night. You might also consider using a bedside commode to remove the need for toilet trips in the night.
You should also make sure that the person is well-fed and receives adequate nutrition each day. Some people will wake in the night for other reasons only to realize that they are hungry and so will wander in search of a snack. To prevent this, it can be helpful to supply a light snack before bed.
When leaving the person alone during the day, you should make sure that they have everything they need to hand, so they do not need to wander to find it. This might include the TV remote, a current book theyre reading, their glasses, or anything else. At night, it can be helpful to install a night-time light and remove clutter so that, if the person does get out of bed, the risk of injury is limited.
Read Also: How Much Are Dementia Care Home Fees
Warning Signs: Whos At Risk For Dementia Wandering
Wandering can happen to anyone experiencing dementia whos mobile, whether they walk or use a wheelchair. It may begin in the early stages of dementia, even before a diagnosis. Many caregivers I speak with doubt that their loved one is at risk for wandering, says Denny. But its good to be at least aware this is an issue early on, so appropriate precautions can be taken. Monitor these warning signs if you believe your loved ones at risk. They may be:
- Discussing former obligations, like going to work or caring for a child
- Trying to go home, even when at home
- Pacing, making repetitive motions, or repeating phrases
- Behaving oddly or acting nervous in public or crowded areas
- Taking longer than usual completing regular walks or drives
- Forgetting directions to familiar places, or insisting on repeating directions throughout a trip
- Having trouble finding familiar places, like the bedroom or bathroom
- Failing to complete a full activity or chore for example, getting out multiple pieces of bread without making a sandwich, or repeatedly opening and closing a book
- Incorrectly judging the distance between objects
- Perceiving two-dimensional objects as three-dimensional
Use Wearable Gps Enabled Tracking Devices
Even with a variety of security alarms in place, it is still possible that your loved one may wander. In this case, a GPS tracking device can be indispensable. These can be worn as a neck pendant or a bracelet and can be linked up with a smartphone app on the caregivers end. In the event that the dementia patient becomes lost, caregivers can obtain an exact location to go and rescue their loved one.
Apple has released Air Tags which can be attached to a person or object and will link up with your smartphone. Theres no need for the person to have their own smartphone as the Air Tag will detect their location and send it back to you.
You May Like: Hearing Loss Leads To Dementia
Be Active During The Day Together
Although dementia patients cant endure strenuous exercise, activities such as walking, tai chi, yoga, swimming, seated exercises, activity boards, and even dancing are suitable for them.
You should set aside some time every day for you two to exercise together. The physical activity will tire out the person and hopefully make it easier for them to fall asleep.