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Keeping Loved Ones Safe - Wandering - Page 2

© Karen Largent

WANDERING--ACTION STEPS

Be Prepared. Be aware that wandering may or may not happen. There's no way to predict who will wander or when and how it might happen. Some people never get lost and others get lost frequently. he best advice is to be prepared. If the person has a daily exercise routine and hasn't yet wandered, you needn't be overly concerned. However, once the person begins to wander or gets lost, you should watch him more closely.

Encourage movement and exercise. Allow the person to move within safe areas or make a shared exercise such as walking part of your daily routine. Although walking in a circle might seem unusual, keep in mind that physical activity -- from walking and sweeping, to rolling yarn or folding clothes--is a positive experience for the person with Alzheimer's. Be objective.

*Don't take the person's wandering behavior personally. The individual is probably trying to make sense of a world that no longer seems predictable.

Be aware of hazards. Remember that places that look safe might be dangerous for the person with Alzheimer's. For this reason, you should review the environment around your home for possible hazards, such as fences and gates, bodies of water, swimming pools, dense foliage, tunnels, bus stops, steep stairways, high balconies, and roadways where traffic tends to be heavy. Secure your living area.

Do whatever you can to keep your home safe and secure. Place locks out of the normal line of vision -- either very high or very low on doors. In addition, use a double bolt door lock, keeping the key handy for emergencies. Also, use a child proof door knob that prevents the person with Alzheimer's from opening the door. Other effective safety actions include the following:

Put hedges or fences around your patio or yard.

Place locks on gates.

Consider electronic buzzers, infrared electronic eye alarms, or chimes on your doors.

Place a pressure sensitive mat at the door or person's bedside.

Camouflage some doors with a screen or curtain, or put a two-foot square of a dark color in front of the door knob.

Use a recliner or rocking chair; the person may need assistance to get up.

Use night lights, signs, and familiar objects to help the person move around in a safe area.

Put gates at dangerous stairwells.

Communicate with the person. Remind the person that you know how to find him and that he's in the right place. If possible, take the person for rides in cars or buses in addition to providing regular activity and exercise. And continually reassure the person, who may feel lost or abandoned.

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