Wandering is a common feature of dementia
photo by Jim DeLillo
Caregiver Tips
It is estimated that 60% of the 4 million Americans that have Alzheimer's will wander away from home or their caregivers and get lost. Wandering behavior is a potentially life threatening situation.
Here are a few simple steps that you can take to make your response, and the professional agencies response to wandering behavior more effective. It may help
save the life of your loved one and will help minimize the time the Alzheimer's sufferer is lost.
Home Prevention Measures for Wandering
Place a dark colored mat by the front and any doors that exit outside
Paint external doors the same color as the walls, this camouflages them
Label internal doors with their function i.e. bathroom, bedroom. You can also label doors that you want to have out of bounds with labels such as 'Do Not
Enter' or 'No'
Install warning alarms on external doors so that you can encourage free movement around your house or apartment but respond quickly day or night to the
warning bells.
You can design a garden that allows access outside but always leads the wandering person back to the house. This is great for people with Alzheimer's who
are very restless or agitated and who like or need to walk a lot.
Keep some 'scented clothes' around just incase the police need to use them in their search for your loved one
Have a recent photograph to assist police or other agencies who may be called on to search for the missing person
Remember the clothes your loved one is wearing that day so that you can inform the authorities if they need to be involved
Discreetly label the clothes of people with Alzheimer's with their home telephone number
Initial Response when elders go missing
Look around your property in the immediate area. Look in cupboards, cellars, outhouses
Remember someone with Alzheimer's will not necessarily respond if you call out their name, so do not assume they are not in a room just because they do not
answer you
It is helpful if you can get another family member or friend to help you just incase you miss the wandering relative as you search.
Call 911 if you search is not successful. If weather conditions are extreme you need to take quick action. Police and search agencies will be helped by accurate information.
