Wandering caused by Alzheimer's and other dementias
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Wandering caused by Alzheimer's and other dementias
Wandering can pose a major problem for the caregiver and can be dangerous for a person with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia.
Get a medical ID bracelet for the person so that you can be contacted if he or she wanders away.
- Try to figure out why the person wanders. He or she may be trying to find something specific or looking for a familiar object. A person who wanders at a certain time of day may always have taken a walk or gone to work at that time.
- Lock outside doors, and use alarms and other devices to alert you when the person wanders outdoors or into unsafe areas.
- Provide a safe place for wandering, such as an enclosed yard or garden.
Credits
| Author | Monica Rhodes |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Peter J. Whitehouse, MD - Neurology |
| Last Updated | November 10, 2008 |
| Last updated: | November 10, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Monica Rhodes |
| Reviewed By: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Peter J. Whitehouse, MD - Neurology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC |
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