Most caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia share this near-constant fear: In a moment of confusion, their loved ones might walk away from home and family and never find their way back.
When Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio begins working with a patient with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, one of the first questions asked of the family members is, “Does he wander?” said Amber Biacsi, manager of mental health for VNA of Ohio.
“If they say, ‘No,’ I know that just means ‘Not yet,’ ” Biacsi said. “It most likely is going to happen.”
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia, which is defined as a collection of symptoms resulting from a decline in mental function. A failing memory is one of the first signs of dementia.
Six of out 10 people with dementia will wander at some point during the course of their illness, Biacsi said. It can happen at any stage of the disease when the patient doesn’t recognize his surroundings and walks away in search of something or someone familiar.
When dementia patients wander, it can be terrifying for family members as well as the patient, who may feel lost even in his own neighborhood. In some cases, wandering behavior results from the fact that the patient has reverted back to her earliest memories and is trying to return home to a place where she may have lived many years before.
Biacsi said families and caregivers should put precautions in place before the behavior begins.
The Alzheimer’s Association advises caregivers to:
In some cases, preventing wandering requires physical changes to the person’s environment. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends:
Learn more about VNA of Ohio mental health services, or call us today at 1-877-698-6264.