What Are the Signs of Wandering with Dementia?

Are you worried that your elderly loved one will wander off now that they have dementia? Unfortunately, wandering is common in people who have this disease. It can be extremely worrisome and scary for their loved ones. If you are worried about this with your elderly loved one, it would be a good idea to learn about the signs of wandering with dementia. If you can recognize the signs, you can work with 24-hour home care providers to help prevent your elderly loved one from wandering.

Repetition, Pacing, and Restlessness

Three things that you should look for in your elderly loved one that may signify they are about to wander include repetitive behaviors, pacing back and forth, and restlessness. People with dementia often get overwhelmed, bored, or frustrated. When these things happen, it can cause them to do repetitive actions like pacing the floor or moving their arms back and forth. These feelings can then bring about restlessness which may cause your elderly loved one to feel like they have to get out of their house or the area they are in. If you are seeing these things in your elderly loved one, it would be a good idea to have 24-hour home care providers keeping an eye on them.

Trouble Locating Familiar Places

Has your elderly loved one recently had trouble locating familiar places? For example, did your elderly loved one enjoy going to the library before they got dementia? Now that they have dementia, do they get lost when trying to find their way to the library or another place that is familiar to them? If this is the case, your elderly loved one will be more likely to wander. They are likely doing this because they don’t know where they are or where they need to go. It is vital that you or a home care provider goes places with your elderly loved one, so they don’t get lost.

Nervousness and Anxiety

Two other emotions that can lead to wandering in someone who has dementia are nervousness and anxiety. Most of the time, with this disease, these emotions are present when the person is overwhelmed with a situation. It can be the result of a loud or chaotic environment. In addition, if there are a lot of people around, your elderly loved one may think some of them or even all of them are strangers. That could make them want to leave. If you suspect this is happening with your elderly loved one, it is best to keep them in situations where things are low-key.

Conclusion

These are some of the signs of wandering in a person who has dementia? Does your elderly loved one have this disease? If so, you and 24-hour home care providers can work together to recognize these signs and help prevent wandering in your elderly loved one.

Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/wandering-and-alzheimers-disease
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/alzheimers/art-20046222