DEMENTIA & WANDERING
Wandering is quite common among people with dementia and can be very worrying for those concerned for their safety and well-being. The person’s failing memory and declining ability to communicate may make it impossible for them to remember or explain the reason they wandered.
Here are some reasons for wandering:
-Changed environment-A person with dementia may feel uncertain and disoriented in a new environment such as a new house or day care centre. Wandering may stop once they become used to the change. The person may also want to escape from a noisy or busy environment.
-Loss of memory-Wandering may be due to a loss of short-term memory. A person may set off to go to the shop or a friend’s house, and then forget where they were going or why. Or they forget that their partner has told them that they were going out for a while and set off in search of them.
-Excess energy-Wandering can be a way of using up excess energy, which may indicate that the person needs more regular exercise.
-Searching for the past-As people become more confused, they may wander off in search of someone, or something, relating to their past. This may be a partner who has died, a lost friend or a house they lived in as a child.
-Expressing boredom-As dementia progresses people find it harder and harder to concentrate for any length of time. Wandering may be their way of keeping occupied.
-Confusing night with day-People with dementia may suffer from insomnia, or wake in the early hours and become disoriented. They may think it is daytime and decide to go for a walk. Poor eyesight or hearing loss may mean shadows or night sounds become confusing and distressing.
-Continuing a habit-People who have been used to walking long distances may simply wish to continue doing so.
-Agitation-Changes that have occurred in the brain may cause a feeling of restlessness and anxiety. Agitation can cause some people to pace up and down or to wander off with no apparent purpose. They may fail to recognize their own home and insist on leaving.
-Discomfort or pain-Walking may ease discomfort, so it is important to find out if there is any physical problem or medical condition and try to deal with it. Tight clothing, excessive heat or needing to find a toilet can all cause problems.
-A job to perform-Sometimes people leave the house because they believe they have a job to do, or are confused about the time of day, or the season. This may be related to a former role such as going to work in the morning or being home for the children in the afternoon.
-Dreams-An inability to differentiate dreams from reality may cause the person to respond to something that they dreamed, thinking that this has happened in real life.
The precautions you take will depend on the personality of the person with dementia, as well as how well they are able to cope, their reasons for wandering and whether they live in a potentially dangerous or in a safe and secure environment.
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