Report on Alzheimer's Wandering

Nearly one in five adults with Alzheimer's disease found wandering unsupervised leave from a nursing home or adult care center according to a detailed report written by Healthcare Review in 2002. Wandering occurs for a variety of reasons but experts reveil that 60% of persons with Alzheimer's disease will wander away at some point in time. They also point out that if not located within 24 hours, 46 percent of wandering indivuals may die.

"This kind of information helps professional and non-professional caregivers develop strategies to prevent wandering and help law enforcement find those who wander," said the Alzheimer's Association's associate director of safety services Brian Hance, who heads the Safe Return Program.

"While the study results are specific to the Safe Return Program only, this is the first time any data have become available on which to base policies related to cognitively - impaired wanderers," Rowe said.

Alzheimer individuals are likely to wander when they are in unfamiliar situations and their caregivers become distracted. The study also reveiled that persons with Alzheimer's disease who are living with an adult child or other caregiver rather than a spouse are more likely to be left alone while the caregivers tend to other family and job responsibility.

The most frequent discovery locations were:

Residential yards (26%)

On the street ( 22.3%)

At businesses ( 11.8%)

and in healthcare facilities (9.2%)

10 Tips To Reduce Alzheimer's Wandering

1) Be prepared. There's no way to predict who will wnader or when, or how it may happen. The best safety measure is to register a loved one in the Alzheimer's Association Safe Returen Program before wandering becomes an issue.

2) Encourage movement and exercise. Make a shared exercise, such as walking, part of your daily routine together. This will reduce anxiety and restlessness. Also, allow the person with Alzheimer's access to a safe, enclosed area.

3) Be objective. Don't take the person's wandering behavior personally.

4) Be aware of hazards. Places that look safe might be dangerous for someone with Alzheimer's. Look in and around your home for potential hazards - fences and gates, bodies of water, dense foliage, bus stops, steep stairways, high balconies, and roadways with heavy traffice and change what you can or block access.

5) Secure the living area. Do what you can to make your home safe and secure. Place locks out of the normal line of vision - either very high or very low on doors. Use doorknobs that prevent the person with Alzheiemr's from opening the door. Other safety precautions include placing locks on gates, camouflaging doors, fencing in the patio or yard, installing alarms or chimes on doors and using familiar objects, signs and nightlights to guide the person around a safe area.

6) Communicate with the person. Regularly remind and reassure the person with Alzheimer's that you know how to find him and that he's in the right place.

7) Idenfity the person. Have the person wear a Safe Return Idenfication bracelet or necklace. Use sew on or iron on labels or permanent markers to mark clothing. Place identification on shoes, keys, and eyeglasses and in wallets and handbags.

8) Invlolve the neighbors. Inform you neighbors of your loved one's condition and keep a list of their names and phone numbers handy in case of emergency.

9) Involve the police. Some police departments will keep a photo and fingerprints of people with Alzheimer's on file. Have the following informationready for emergencies: the person's age, hair color, eye color, identifying marks, blood type, medical conditions, medication, dental work, jewelry, and allergies.

10) Be prepared for other modes of wandering. Although most wandering takes place on foot, some people with AD have been known to drive hundreds of miles-sometimes in a vehicle that belongs to someone else. To prevent this problem, keep car keys out of sight or temporarily disable the car by removing it's distributor cap. People with AD also have traveled great distances by train, airplane, and public transportation.

To register a loved one in the Alzheimer's Association's Safe Return Program, visit www.alzwny.org or call (716)626-0600 to contact your local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and ask for a free registration brochure.

For information about Elderwood Senior Care - please contact us at (716)633-3900.