How Can I Minimize My Loved One's Wandering?

Many of us have heard of Alzheimer's disease and for some of us, we are experiencing it first hand. Below is a blog post from a colleague, Janet Kuebler - Owner of Right at Home of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties - who wrote her recent blog about wandering. For family caregivers whose loved one has Alzheimer's disease, wandering can be a common and stressful concern.  I hope you find this post informative and invite you to share your thoughts and questions below. 
                                           Prevent Dementia Patients From Wandering
The Alzheimer’s Association reports that as many as 60 percent of people with dementia, a condition with decreased memory or mental ability, will wander and may get lost. Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, head injuries and other health issues that involve dementia can all lead patients to stroll away from familiar surroundings. Wandering is preventable with the right safeguards in place.
Specific wandering risk signs to watch for include:

• 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.
• Inquiring about the whereabouts of past or current family and friends.

Safeguards to prevent wandering include:

• Addressing the underlying cause of wandering. Is your aging loved one waking up hungry or thirsty? Are certain sounds triggering a need to investigate outdoors?
• Assessing 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.
• Securing your home with hard-to-access door and window locks (place locks high or low on exterior doors or add slide bolts). Or, place motion detectors on outer doors or hang bells on doorknobs.
• Using monitoring devices such as jewelry or bracelets with radio transmitters. Local law enforcement and organizations like Project Lifesaver and the MedicAlert + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® program can offer additional assistance.
• Involving 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. Also, be sure your loved one always wears an ID bracelet or pendant, or sew identification tags inside clothing. 

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Janet Kuebler is the Owner of Right at Home of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, an agency that provides care and assistance for the elderly and disabled adults.  As a Certified Senior Advisor, Certified Dementia Practitioner and facilitator for the Virtual Dementia Tour, she helps families care for their elderly loved ones.  After providing care for family members, Janet recognized that aging is often difficult and families may need help providing care. Right at Home develops a customized care plan ranging from a little help around the house to daily medical attention and personal hygiene. Care is available on an hourly, overnight or live-in basis.  Janet is a member of the Hunterdon County Senior Healthcare Coalition, the Hunterdon Regional Ethics Committee, the United Way Caregiver Coalition and the Somerset County Providers Network.  Janet can be reached at 908-281-7961 or [email protected].  Visit her website at  www.westcentralnj.rightathome.net.

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