Wandering is one of the greatest concerns for dementia patients’ families and caregivers. Research shows that six in ten people with dementia wander. People with dementia wander because they get easily disoriented, even in familiar places, and don’t remember their names or addresses. Wandering happens in the 4-5th stages of dementia, you can read about the stages of dementia here.

Use the following strategies to prevent wandering:

• Identify the most likely times of the day when the person may wander and plan activities to promote relaxation and prevent agitation at that time
• Provide a routine. Routine provides structure and a sense of security and safety.
• Ensure the person’s basic needs are met and reassure them if they feel lost or disoriented.
• Pay attention if your loved has difficulties locating rooms inside the house or moves around without the purpose

If your loved one with dementia wanders, search the immediate area as soon as possible and call 911 if you cannot find the person within 15 minutes. 

Dementia GPS Tracker

You might also want to look into getting a GPS tracker such as Angelsense’s new GPS tracker for disabled or dementia patients, https://www.angelsense.com/dementia-gps-tracker/