Understanding wandering
More than 60 percent of people who have Alzheimer's wander at some point, according to the
Alzheimer's Association. Often, someone who's wandering is:
• Searching for something. Wanderers are often looking for something or someone familiar,
especially if they recently moved to a new environment. In other cases, wanderers are trying to
satisfy a basic need, such as hunger or thirst — but they've forgotten what to do or where to go.
Many wanderers are looking for a bathroom.
• Escaping from something. Sometimes wandering is a result of stress, anxiety or too much
stimulation, such as multiple conversations in the background or even the noise of pots and
pans in the kitchen. In other cases, restlessness or wandering is a reaction to pain.
• Reliving the past. If wandering occurs at the same time every day, it may be linked to a lifelong
routine. For example, a woman who tries to leave the nursing home every day at 5 p.m. may
believe she's going home from work.
In other cases, wandering is triggered by medication side effects.
Preventing wandering
If you're caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's, use simple strategies to curb wandering:
• Address potential triggers. Offer your loved one a snack, a glass of water or use of the
bathroom. Encourage physical activity to curb restlessness and promote better sleep. If you
think your loved one is looking for something familiar, provide a family photo album or share
favorite memories.
• Provide visual cues. People who have Alzheimer's often forget where they are, even inside their
own homes. It might help to post descriptive photos on the doors to various rooms, such as the
bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. Encourage your loved one to explore his or her immediate
environment as often as necessary.
• Plan activities and other distractions. If your loved one tends to wander at the same time every
day, a planned activity at that hour could stem the wandering. It might be as simple as asking
the person to fold a basket of towels or put place mats on the table for dinner. If wandering
outdoors is an issue, you may want to store coats, boots and keys out of sight.
