If Your Loved One Wanders

Aug 4

Tips for Prevention and Planning for a Wandering Event

While having your loved one wandering around the house might be challenging to you as a caregiver, it’s not necessarily unsafe. However, some wandering can be dangerous, including going into areas of the house such as stairwells, decks, hot tubs, or swimming pools. Also dangerous is your loved one leaving the house, yard, or property alone.

For people with Alzheimer’s, two characteristic precursors to wandering are restlessness and disorientation. Your loved one may exhibit signs of restlessness when they are hungry, thirsty, constipated, or in pain. They may also become disoriented, pace the floor, or wander when bored, anxious or stressed, due to an uncomfortable environment or lack of exercise. These behaviors can also be part of your loved one experiencing “sundowning”.

To address the challenges of your loved one wandering, you can try some of the tactics below. As always, it’s best to give careful thought to how to individualize these efforts to meet your loved one’s situation, tendencies, and needs.

Make time for regular physical exercise for your loved one, to reduce restlessness.

Immediately redirect pacing or restless behavior into productive activity or exercise.
Reassure your loved one if they appear disoriented.
If wandering tends to occur at a particular time of day, distract the person at that time with another activity.
Reduce noise levels and confusion, which can disorient your loved one. Turn off the TV or radio, close the curtains, or move them to quieter surroundings.
Acclimate ahead of time if you are planning to move your loved one to a new environment by making several visits prior to the move.
Consult the doctor if disorientation is becoming a continuing problem. Disorientation can be a result of medication side effects, drug interactions, or over-medicating.

There are also some practical ways to help prevent wandering, including:

Install child-safety devices in your home to keep doors and windows secured.
Hide items like purses, shoes, or glasses that your loved one typically takes with them when they leave the house.
Acquire chairs that are comfortable but restrict movement, making it difficult for your loved one to stand up without assistance.
Keep the house doors locked with a keyed deadbolt or an additional lock that is installed near the top or the bottom of the door, making it harder to see. Cover the doorknob with a loose-fitting doorknob cover to prevent your loved one from being able to turn it. (Keep in mind that due to the potential need for an exit in case of emergency, extra locks and doorknob covers should only be used when there is a caregiver present.)
Put signs that read “Do Not Enter,” “Closed,” or “Stop” on the doors.
“Camouflage” the door by covering it with art, scenic posters, or wallpaper with a color or pattern that matches the walls around it.
Put temporary barriers such as gates, curtains, colored tape, or streamers across the door.
Use locks that allow windows to be opened only partially.
Install a chime or bell that emits a sound when a door is open.
Use a dark-colored mat or black tape to create dark square spot on the floor right in front of the door, which may appear as a hole to fall into and deter your loved one.

If Your Loved One Wanders:

In case a loved one does wander, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place. Alzheimer’s sufferers may not call out for help or answer your calls, and often won’t leave many physical cues. They may get trapped somewhere during their wandering, leaving them at risk for dehydration and hypothermia. Your plan should include:

Have your loved one (and you, too) wear an ID bracelet, or have ID labels in clothing at all times.
New digital devices using GPS or cellular technology can track the patient’s location if he or she wanders off. Consider enrolling in a tracking service such as MedicAlert® + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return® or Project Lifesaver.
When searching for your wandering loved one, check dangerous areas near the home, such as bodies of water, dense foliage, tunnels, bus stops, high balconies, and heavily traveled roads.
Look within a one-mile radius of where your loved one was before wandering.
Look within one hundred feet of a road, as most wanderers start out on roads and remain close by. Especially look carefully into bushes and ditches, as the person may have fallen or become trapped.
Search in the direction of the wanderer’s dominant hand. People usually travel first in their dominant hand direction.
Investigate familiar places, such as former residences or favorite spots. Often, wandering has a particular destination.
Notify neighbors and local police about your loved one’s tendency to wander, and make sure they have your phone number.
In case a police search becomes necessary, make sure you have readily available a recent photo of your loved one’s face.
Keep on hand some unwashed clothing to help search-and-rescue dogs with tracking. (To do this properly, place the clothing in a plastic bag with plastic-gloved hands, and replace the clothing monthly.)