Understanding Alzheimer’s Wandering

For north Texas adult children and spouses who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, wandering is one of the most difficult and frightening behaviors to safely manage. While much remains unknown about this debilitating disease, experts do have some theories about wandering. Many believe the behavior may be caused by unmet needs and an inability to communicate them due to lost language skills.

Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease might not recognize their surroundings and wander off to look for “home.” Or they may be hungry or thirsty and go in search of food or water. An urge to use the bathroom and not know how to find it is believed to be another cause of wandering. Whatever it is that leads a senior to wander, the result is anxiety and stress for adult children and family caregivers in and around Dallas and Fort Worth.

4 Steps for Managing the Common Triggers of Wandering

What can you do to control some of the more common triggers of wandering and decrease the chance that a north Texas loved one with Alzheimer’s will wander?

Here are four steps you can take that may help reduce the risk of wandering:

1. Space to Pace: When a senior lives with Alzheimer’s disease, agitation and pacing can be all too common. By keeping the pathway your loved one seems to prefer clear and free of clutter, you may prevent them from trying to look for an exit. Giving them a safe place to pace will also help decrease their risk for a fall.
2. Use Visual STOP Cues: A technique used in many Memory Care assisted living communities is one you can easily implement at home. Place bright red “STOP” signs on doors you don’t want your loved one to try to access. This universally recognized symbol is still easy to recognize and comprehend even as Alzheimer’s disease progresses.
3. Place Locks Higher on Doors: Because Alzheimer’s disease so often causes a person’s gaze to turn downward, traditional door locks may be directly in their line of vision. It may cue to them to try to unlock the door and go outside. Placing a chain lock or sliding lock higher on the door may prevent them from noticing it.
4. Paint the Door: Many homeowners paint the inside of their door in a contrasting color from the wall. While it may be more visually appealing, it also makes the door much more obvious. Instead, paint the door the same color as the walls to help it blend in. Making it less noticeable may discourage a senior from trying to exit.
5. Store Leaving Cues: Keeping personal items you use when you leave the house —keys, coats, umbrellas, and boots— stored away from exterior doors is another strategy that might help. While it might not be as convenient, these items can send “leaving cues” to someone living with Alzheimer’s.

To learn more about wandering, we encourage you to visit the Wandering Resource Center on the Alzheimer’s Association’s website.

Finding a Memory Care Program in North Texas

If the struggle to manage a senior loved one’s Alzheimer’s disease at home is getting to be too much, please call us at 214-929-5055 or complete our Contact Form. We have helped hundreds of families in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas find a Memory Care program that they feel confident trusting their loved one with.

Senior Living Specialists is a free service for seniors and their families. We are compensated by a referral fee when a senior moves into a community or care home.